Thursday, June 7, 2012

Limitless

Starring Bradley Cooper and Robert De Niro

Based on The Dark Fields by Alan Glynn

Directed by  Neil Burger

Release Date: March 18th, 2011

Eddie Morra is not living up to his full potential. Currently, he's a writer with Writer's Block, his girlfriend just dumped him, and he's going to be evicted out of his apartment soon. What should happen next is that he runs into his ex-wife's brother Vernon, a drug dealer with the opportunity of a lifetime.  Vernon offers him the drug NZT, a chemical that unlocks his brain to "100 %" usage. Soon, Eddie's using brainpower like never before, sweet talking his landlord's wife, breezing past his novel, and mastering several languages in no time at all. However, his new found skills also come with blackouts, and those land him in a world of trouble.......

This needs to be said; In the film, the "100%" they talk about, it's an urban legend. The film claims that NZT "stimulates receptors" and makes the brain work faster (Just wanted to get that out of the way).

A lot of people remarked that this is a "roller coaster of action" and "Bradley Cooper gives a command performance", then "De Niro's back in form". Well, some of these things happened, and some did not. Yes, while agree that Bradley Cooper does a great job in the film, De Niro......is good, at best. While many remember De Niro from Raging Bull or Taxi Driver, he's been slumming it far too long with the Meet the ..... films. So no, I wouldn't praise De Niro for going back to giving an effort in a performance.

Also, I never felt that the film truly takes off to a full effort. Too often, it just feels like wish fulfillment: be the smartest guy,  be a millionaire, etc. Honestly, the best parts of the film are when Eddie has to use his new abilities to outwit opponents.

Final Thoughts: Limitless is a decent thriller. If the trailer interests you, I'd give it a rent.

Rating: 3 out of 5 

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