Limitless (C+ or 2.5/4 stars)
'Limitless' (directed by Neil Burger) is one freaky movie. It's one of those films where you're uneasy while watching it; and imminent danger always seems to be around the corner. I like that - in a twisted way. And the premise of this film is very cool, as well. If only the plot logistics were more clearly defined, & if only the final 5 minutes weren't as lame as they are ... I'd have loved this. Eddie Morra (Bradley Cooper) is an out-of-work writer & shlump of the highest order. He lives in a crappy Manhattan apartment, & has a bad case of writer's block. His girlfriend, Lindy (Abbie Cornish) has left him ... again. And his attempts to begin his novel prove futile. One day, a chance encounter with his ex-bro-in-law gives him an unexpected treat; as he offers Eddie a top-secret sample drug called NZT-48.
Supposedly safe & FDA-approved (yeah, right), it enhances brain power to the max. One teeny, tiny pill (taken daily) bestows Eddie with super human abilities. Not only does said pill make him focus, make him more confident, & motivate him to better his lot in life ... but it also jumpstarts his writing, & figure out things that most people couldn't fathom. He even rises to the top of the financial world (with a character played by Robert DeNiro keeping a keen eye on him). But when the effects of the NZT wears off, he wants more, so he goes back to his ex-bro-in-law - and that's when he becomes ensnarled in a web of criminal happenstance including high rollers, pharmaceutical companies, stock brokers, gangsters, crooked lawyers, & hit men. Craziness ensues.
'Limitless' provided me a very strange experience at the theater (that's sans the 4 drunk-off-their-ass viewers sitting 2 rows behind me). Why strange? Because I felt like I was on drugs while watching Eddie fly off the rails on drugs. Limitless' premise is neat, the acting is stellar, but the execution of the premise (that a pill can give us 100% brain power) is way too vague to resonate. The logic doesn't hold up. There are inconsistencies with which the drug's symptoms operate. And there's no satisfactory way to film one person's perspective after they attain full brain power. What they'd see, feel, & know would be incomprehensible. So everything that occurs to Eddie, for better or worse, doesn't prove altogether effective for us. We CAN'T know how brilliant we are told he gets.
That's not to say Neil Burger & his film team didn't try to make 'Limitless' comprehensible from a visual standpoint. The flashy visuals that accompany Eddie's inner brainworkings are cool to see. i.e., disorientating cinematography shots, psychedelic pans, visual effects-enhanced tracking shots, etc.. I liked the pacing of the film; moves briskly. And as I mentioned in the 1st few sentences ... I was uneasy watching it (in a good way). It's suspenseful. Preposterous, but suspenseful. Bradley Cooper isn't amazing. But he commandeers this film well. Robert DeNiro - not in the movie much - is okay; getting to chomp on a few juicy lines near the very end. Abbie Cornish (SO good in 2009's Bright Star) is relegated to the thankless role of intermittent girlfriend. Though, she shines in a nerve-wracking central park scene (ice skating, anyone?). The other performance of note is that of Andrew Howard as a Russian thug. He was fun.
I guess I just thought 'Limitless' would be smarter; deeper; given what the whole thing is about. It's glib. I was also slightly irked that there isn't any kind of commentary on addiction or the taking of untested drugs. It's broached early on, but dropped to favor the more mundane action elements of the story. The reason it bugged me is because the taking of this drug had troubling implications that the film didn't fully explore and/or explain. i.e., varying degrees of physical deterioration with different specimens. And if everyone takes the drug & attains 100% brain power ... are there any consequences? etc. Furthermore, the movie ends on a note that rang quite false. {SPOILER} The happy ending doesn't make sense with respect to all the acrimony & danger that precedes it. Eddie goes without repercussions for his actions. And why would Lindy stay with him; knowing all that he'd done prior. It just makes little sense, to me {end SPOILER}.
I give 'Limitless' is (very) mild pass for transporting me elsewhere for 105 minutes. It may not all add up in the end, but the slick visuals, brisk pacing, & intriguing high-concept premise goes quite a way, here.
Supposedly safe & FDA-approved (yeah, right), it enhances brain power to the max. One teeny, tiny pill (taken daily) bestows Eddie with super human abilities. Not only does said pill make him focus, make him more confident, & motivate him to better his lot in life ... but it also jumpstarts his writing, & figure out things that most people couldn't fathom. He even rises to the top of the financial world (with a character played by Robert DeNiro keeping a keen eye on him). But when the effects of the NZT wears off, he wants more, so he goes back to his ex-bro-in-law - and that's when he becomes ensnarled in a web of criminal happenstance including high rollers, pharmaceutical companies, stock brokers, gangsters, crooked lawyers, & hit men. Craziness ensues.
'Limitless' provided me a very strange experience at the theater (that's sans the 4 drunk-off-their-ass viewers sitting 2 rows behind me). Why strange? Because I felt like I was on drugs while watching Eddie fly off the rails on drugs. Limitless' premise is neat, the acting is stellar, but the execution of the premise (that a pill can give us 100% brain power) is way too vague to resonate. The logic doesn't hold up. There are inconsistencies with which the drug's symptoms operate. And there's no satisfactory way to film one person's perspective after they attain full brain power. What they'd see, feel, & know would be incomprehensible. So everything that occurs to Eddie, for better or worse, doesn't prove altogether effective for us. We CAN'T know how brilliant we are told he gets.
That's not to say Neil Burger & his film team didn't try to make 'Limitless' comprehensible from a visual standpoint. The flashy visuals that accompany Eddie's inner brainworkings are cool to see. i.e., disorientating cinematography shots, psychedelic pans, visual effects-enhanced tracking shots, etc.. I liked the pacing of the film; moves briskly. And as I mentioned in the 1st few sentences ... I was uneasy watching it (in a good way). It's suspenseful. Preposterous, but suspenseful. Bradley Cooper isn't amazing. But he commandeers this film well. Robert DeNiro - not in the movie much - is okay; getting to chomp on a few juicy lines near the very end. Abbie Cornish (SO good in 2009's Bright Star) is relegated to the thankless role of intermittent girlfriend. Though, she shines in a nerve-wracking central park scene (ice skating, anyone?). The other performance of note is that of Andrew Howard as a Russian thug. He was fun.
I guess I just thought 'Limitless' would be smarter; deeper; given what the whole thing is about. It's glib. I was also slightly irked that there isn't any kind of commentary on addiction or the taking of untested drugs. It's broached early on, but dropped to favor the more mundane action elements of the story. The reason it bugged me is because the taking of this drug had troubling implications that the film didn't fully explore and/or explain. i.e., varying degrees of physical deterioration with different specimens. And if everyone takes the drug & attains 100% brain power ... are there any consequences? etc. Furthermore, the movie ends on a note that rang quite false. {SPOILER} The happy ending doesn't make sense with respect to all the acrimony & danger that precedes it. Eddie goes without repercussions for his actions. And why would Lindy stay with him; knowing all that he'd done prior. It just makes little sense, to me {end SPOILER}.
I give 'Limitless' is (very) mild pass for transporting me elsewhere for 105 minutes. It may not all add up in the end, but the slick visuals, brisk pacing, & intriguing high-concept premise goes quite a way, here.