Limitless [2011]

One of the most fascinating thing about our existence is the fact that we know everything, but have forgotten most of it. We’ve been told countless of times that we only use a small portion of our brains. Now imagine what we could do if we were to put our entire brain online. Ultimate power, intelligence, and the ability to do whatever we want. Sounds like fun no? In “Limitless”, there’s a pill that does exactly that, and so much more. Bradley Cooper plays Eddie, the guy who gets his hand on this untested drug. He finishes his novel at typing speed, wins at poker, invests in the market, and becomes a millionaire overnight. He is the new King of Wall Street, and he even fascinates a woman who rejected him as a loser.  So far so good. But every fairytale has its dark moments. And just when it all seems to be going his way, Eddie realises that the drug has an adverse effect on his health, and without a regular intake, he would almost lose his life. To add to that, he finds himself pursued by a thug who now knows his secret, and who demands more pills for himself. This is the part where one would say: it was too good to be true anyway.

The movie works for the most parts; with a clever premise and a first rate cast (including Robert DeNiro), this is a fun ride. But unfortunately, it falls off the rails in the final 30 minutes. I guess the problem here is that the concept is bigger than the rest of story. The film is centered around this fantastic idea that doesn’t seem to be exploited to its maximum potential. And I wish they spent more time developing the relationship between the two main characters (Cooper and DeNiro). The final result though isn’t bad at all. It may not be a masterpiece, but it’s still a solid 90 minutes of pure substance abuse that will probably have you saying: “I’ll have what he’s having”. Be careful what you wish for.

Rating: 2.5/4