Limitless Movie Review

LIMITLESS: CRASHES AND BURNS

Bradley Cooper stars as a down on his luck writer who finds the high life when introduced to a new drug in Limitless. Cooper is dashing and commands your attention, as does Abbie Cornish and the New York City skyline. But that doesn't make up for the numerous flaws in the storyline. It starts off as a fun ride but goes down pretty quickly.

Eddie Morra (Bradley Cooper) is a writer who has accomplished nothing for a long period of time and feels like a loser. Enter his ex brother-in-law Vernon (Johnny Whitworth), who promises him enlightenment with a new drug. Eddie tries and accomplishes more while on it than he ever has. Eddie goes back to Vernon to get some more. Vernon promises him more but tells him first to go get his dry cleaning and some breakfast. When Eddie returns, Vernon has been murdered. Eddie scours the apartment, looking for the drugs. He finds them and takes them back to this place after answering all questions the police have asked him. Eddie becomes successful in everything he does when on the drug. He becomes rich, his ex-girlfriend Lindy (Abbie Cornish) comes back into this life, and he sets in a motion a multi million dollar merger for business tycoon Carl Van Loon (Robert De Niro). But when Eddie starts to have side effects, he tries to decide if its worth it to keep taking the drug.

Limitless starts off as a wild ride, with Eddie on a bullet train. He goes from being a lschlub to a successful business man who can do no wrong in a matter of seconds. Its exciting and over the top, damn the consequences. But Limitless can't decide if it wants to be about drug addiction or a corporate takeover. It has Requiem for a Dream on one side, and Wall Street on the other. And when plot holes are glaringly obvious, they are just swept under the rug by being explained away. Bradley Cooper has been living the high life himself over the past couple of years. He has leading man good looks and can pull off arrogance and still be a good guy. And that is exactly what Eddie Morra calls for. Even when he becomes desperate, he has a self assuredness about him. Abbie Cornish is simply there to be the girlfriend and not much else. She is also beautiful but is also a gifted actress. But Lindy doesn't really call for that. Limitless is all about the superficial. New York City's high life with expensive suits, classy restaurants, and skyscraper buildings. If you aren't there, you aren't successful. Its nice to look at but all of that comes with a price.

As with all films, if the story isn't solid there is nothing. There are too many holes in Limitless and without them being filled in, its hard to take it seriously.

Limitless is like taking an illegal drug. The high may be good, but it is short lived. Bradley Cooper and Abbie Cornish are a gorgeous couple but the imperfections in the plot are glaring and can't be forgotten. It makes for a forgettable film.

Report Card:

Story-C

Acting-B

Visuals-B

Originality/Innovation-C

Enjoyability Grade–C+

Overall Grade-C+