Rated: PG-13
Genre: Thriller/Sci-Fi/Mystery
Info: Official Website
Directed By: Neil Burger
Starring: Bradley Cooper, Robert De Niro, Abbie Cornish
To be fair and just, I had no desire whatsoever to see this movie. It was between this and The Green Lantern. I wanted to see The Green Lantern, but due to circumstances, I ended up settling with Limitless. Boy, am I glad I made that decision!
Limitless follows Eddie Morra (Bradley Cooper), a struggling, unkempt writer. Eddie’s girlfriend (Abbie Cornish) leaves him, and he is having difficulty completing (or even starting) his novel. He runs into his ex-wife’s brother, Vernon, who also happens to be Eddie’s ex-drug dealer, on the streets of NYC. The two decide to sit down for a drink, and, during their conversation, Vernon offers him a small, clear pill, called NTZ. He tells Eddie that this pill will allow him to access 100% of his brain, as opposed to the 10% that human beings naturally access. Eddie brings the pill home with him and tries it out, and, within thirty seconds, everything becomes clear to him. He is even able to complete his book because of his new-found knowledge and enthusiasm.
NTZ allows Eddie to tap into his subconscious mind and recover knowledge that he doesn’t even realize he has. The next day, however, he is back to his old self. He is already addicted to the effects of the drug, and quickly seeks out more drugs from Vernon. He finds that Vernon has been brutally murdered by someone who was searching for the NTZ, but did not find his stash. Eddie searches for and finds the stash of NTZ, a discovery that will forever alter his life. He begins regularly taking the pills, and soon finds that he is wildly popular, rich, successful, and a genius (among many other things).
The pills do not come without consequences, as Eddie soon finds out. Side effects of the drug include blackouts, loss of time, sickness, and death. (Some pretty serious side effects, if you ask me). Top that off with the fact that there are other NTZ addicts whose stashes are running low since the death of Vernon, and you have one wildly entertaining story.
Upon doing some research on the movie, I found that Shia LaBeouf was originally cast as Eddie. Though LaBeouf is a decent actor, I am personally relieved that he did not play this role. Nothing against Shia, but Bradley Cooper really knocked this out of the park. His transformation from an unclean, indie writer-to a successful, intellectual genius-and then to a drug addicted freak of nature, is portrayed with great precision and excellency. His character is executed brilliantly and, most importantly, believably. Robert De Niro steps in as a season veteran to add something special to this flick. He portrays a Trump-esque businessman whom employs Eddie, for his genius ability to play the stock market. De Niro is exceptional and stern, and gives the movie a sense of urgency on a business end, which couples excellently with Eddie’s situation (and the fact that people are trying to kill him).
The aspect of this movie that stood out the most was the cinematography. Flawless. Inventive. Perfect. These words do nothing to describe the way this movie looks, and the way the camera moves. The cinematography is creative and intelligent. When Eddie is on the drug NTZ, the picture turns from a cool, depressing blue to a bright, soft tone. It becomes very crisp, as if we as the viewers are actually experiencing the effect of this drug. The entire feel of the movie is perfected through Neil Burger’s direction and through Jo Willems’ cinematography. One, if not both, of these men deserve an Academy Award for this movie.
In addition to a fantastic story, great acting, and amazing visuals, the movie ends with an underlying theme. This political theme revolves around lobbyist groups controlling politicians, and is slipped into the movie quickly and almost without notice. It parallels the theme of drug use for personal gain with great effect.
If you haven’t seen Limitless, then you are missing out.
5 Knocks out of 5
filmknockers.wordpress.com 