User reviews

If you've ever found yourself staring into nothingness, wondering why you couldn't muster even a hair of energy to get up and do something, then you're going to find this movie highly satisfying. Limitless takes you on a ride... and that's not an exaggeration. The computer graphics create a glimpse into what it would actually feel like to be a "super-you." The writers also did a great job of creating a character that from the start... pretty much charms your pants off. Bradley Cooper actually surprised me. I never thought he was a bad actor, but he was able to honestly portray a guy that had absolutely nothing going for him and became a "somebody." The movie graphics, plot, and main actors (well, DeNiro, Cooper, and Johnny Whitworth) were all intriguing. It's not just a movie about what crazy things some drug can make you do... it creates a discussion within each of us, "What if you could unlock all the potential of YOUR mind, who would you be?" Now the downsides... some of the supporting actors were very weak. Also, there were some scenarios that went off the deep end but actually had the audience laughing hysterically so it wasn't exactly a bad thing. If you thought you'd get a deep or scientific explanation for the drug... don't hold your breath. Thankfully the plot was engaging enough that you didn't really care. The movie had some interesting ideas but some that I especially loved were the ones about identity, and about taking something to make yourself better and whether that meant you were actually you or an altered you. Does it matter even? One last thing I gotta say though, the one guy, Johnny Whitworth, did a really great job. I hope he gets some major roles in the future because I think he's very talented.

I'd definitely recommend watching this movie. If only just for the ridiculous scene with the skates. Hilarious.

I feel it needs to be said that this is a superhero movie. We've had a myriad of superhero movies in recent years, but only a handful (e.g. the first Iron Man) were films where it seemed to me cast and crew were not fast asleep but actually cared about what they were doing. This is definitely an example of that rare breed. It is one of those movies where you spend the entire length of the film NOT noticing that it is a superhero movie, and quite possibly this will not dawn on you even on the ride home, because the subject matter is handled seriously: the characters are 3d life-like people; the plot has life-like complexity; there is ambiguity and room for interpretation. Somebody cared. I had my doubts, going in, whether Bradley Cooper can pull this one off. He sure can. Other actors are also at the top of their game. (I don't feel I need to pick out De Niro in particular, here.)

So, the good: Original, creative writing. Original, creative, beautiful cinematography. Original, creative direction. Interesting throughout. Believable, except when it isn't trying to be. Good pacing. Well acted.

The bad: Some scenes stretch credulity. Most by just a little. The fore-last scene is over the top. I loved it. (My wife said: "They're trying to pull a Tarrantino. Right?" and they were.) I can't blame anyone who says this scene ruined the movie for him. It isn't believable. It isn't consistent with the rest. But it's definitely where the roller-coaster that is this movie is at its most extreme. By contrast, the last scene left me with a feeling of something missed. It's like the script saves the best for the sequel.

So, unfortunately, this movie doesn't have an ending that makes you forgive it for everything else. Quite on the contrary. It just happens to be so good that I was willing to forgive it its bad ending.

An aspiring writer struggling with his love life, an apartment in shambles, a wasteful lifestyle and a writer's block, is left hopeless after being dumped for his ineptitude. He then stumbles upon a past acquaintance who introduces him to an experimental drug that could change his life forever. The intriguing proposition of the story centers around this pharmaceutical experiment that optimizes brain usage to 100% from the meager 20% that we normally use. The problem, that we soon discover, is that supply is limited..... and restricted.

Eddie (Bradley Cooper)'s attempts to write a novel go in vain and his inability to push himself to seek refinement is evident with his apartment, his relationship with his otherwise focused girlfriend and his dependent finances. At such a juncture, he stumbles upon his ex- brother-in-law who introduces an experimental designer drug that enhances brain functionality to harness all its potential. As he is then confronted by his landlord's wife who yaks at him for the pending rent, Eddie chooses an intelligent escape by taking one of the pills and then, whatever he has seen, heard, read or experienced in his life, is available to him as reference. Knowledge acquisition is rapid and so is its retention. Eddie soon discovers that he can achieve the impossible like Bruce Almighty and as greed takes over, he seeks to exploit the financial markets to make some astronomical gains. Overnight success draws inquisitive eyes of the ambitious and Eddie would need to maintain a low profile if he doesn't want to expose his secret to his phenomenal analytical abilities. Veteran investor Carl Loon (Robert De Niro) employs Eddie and gives him the incredible opportunity to make it to the big league in a very short time. Just when it all seems to be going his way, Eddie realizes that the pills have an adverse effect on his health and without a regular intake, he would almost lose his life. To add to that, he is pursued by a goon who now knows the secret to his supreme abilities and demands more pills for himself.

There is always some danger lurking around the corner in Limitless. Even though, the idea of an intelligence enhancing medication seems like the ultimate strength, one always feels restless and is aware of some form of imminent threat. It just seems too good to be true and that is primarily what grips you through this well paced screenplay.

The film looks great with the camera speeding through the streets and the stunning views of New York city. The mood resembles that of Neil Burger's previous film, 'The Illusionist' and this one is equally intriguing, if not more. The background score is well suited to the film's pulsating situations.

The beautiful Abbie Cornish plays the tense situations quite well and in confrontational scenes with Cooper, she emerges strong. Robert De Niro gets a Michael Douglas type role where he seems to enjoy throwing his power around. Good to see him threatening people around him because that is what he does best..... Bradley Cooper took complete advantage of the opportunity where he can play a definitive lead and he is quite convincing both as the struggling author and the coolest man in town with higher intelligence.

Director Neil Burger keeps the momentum going while keeping us glued with suspense, action and twists. A novel idea is simplified in his execution and he makes it easy to absorb it as a reality right from the beginning. He does avoid superficial scenarios and unnecessary drama and chooses to portray the hardships that Eddie encounters while he possesses such power. Limitless entertains with the possibilities and the consequences of uncontrollable powers. However, in the end, it is no 'Inception' in story telling or concept and if you're in with unreal expectations, it will surely disappoint but due credit must be given to Neil Burger for a good execution of the concept that even in the end, doesn't fall flat on its face.

• 8.081 on a scale of 1-10.

This movie doesn't exactly go deep with either the moral or thematic implications of super intelligence. Nor are the characters particularly well developed. But I was engaged from beginning to end with this taut and, best of all, original thriller. I've never seen anything quite like it. It proceeds in a generally credible and suspenseful way from its premise--a pill that allows you to use all of your brain.Of course, the notion that we're only using a small fraction of our brains is untrue, but I liked how the film uses this urban fib as a springboard for its engaging story.

There are one or two moments that strain credulity, (I'm thinking, particularly, of the one-eyed thug who can't seem to hit the broad side of a barn with his gun) but I think every good story has a few of those.

The camera tricks and visual effects used to externalize what's going on in the main character's head are also a lot of fun. Good performances by all the actors.

If you yearn for science fiction movies and thrillers that you can actually believe from moment to moment and haven't seen 10 times before, then I'd recommend this one.

'LIMITLESS': Three Stars (Out of Five)

Bradley Cooper has came a long way from TV's 'ALIAS'. Here he headlines his first major motion picture, taking over a role once filled by Shia LaBeouf (who backed out of the film after hurting his arm in an automobile accident). A film with Robert De Niro playing a supporting player! As a whole the movie is entertaining but nothing great and Cooper's leading man performance is adequate but not spectacular. I think he's better in ensemble pieces like 'THE HANGOVER' and 'THE A-TEAM'. The film tells the story of a down on his luck writer who takes a secret drug which enhances the level his brain is able to function at, making him 'super smart'. It's directed by Neil Burger and written by Leslie Dixon (based on the book 'The Dark Fields' by Alan Glynn).

Cooper plays Eddie Morra, a New York City writer who's recently been dumped by his girlfriend (Abbie Cornish, who has also recently been seen co-starring in 'SUCKER PUNCH'). He's struggling to meet a deadline for a book he's been contracted to write when he stumbles upon his ex brother-in-law (Johnny Whitworth) who offers him a free sample of an unknown pharmaceutical drug called NZT. The drug provides him the ability to use a hundred percent of his brain's full capacity, as opposed to the supposed normal twenty percent, and makes him super confident. When he comes across a full stash of the drug he begins succeeding at everything he had always dreamed of. Then the side effects kick in and he discovers there are others after the drug as well that will stop at no cost to get a hold of it.

The movie has an interesting premise and is played out at an amusing pace but it's full of holes and moral detachment. Without giving away too much I'll just say that if you stop to think about many details in the story they don't really make sense. There's also several things the main character does in the film that are highly morally questionable yet they're portrayed as if they're heroic actions. I also think Cooper isn't quite cut out to carry a film like this and makes the character even a little less likable. With all it's flaws the movie is still somewhat interesting and intriguing and definitely entertaining. It's a mixed bag but worth the watch.

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You're not supposed to judge a book by its cover, or at least that's what authors tell us. Well motion picture directors would want you to not judge their films by the trailers or posters. Limitless is one of the few recent films to deny the misconceptions from its efficient marketing.

It's sold as Bradley Cooper gets smart drug fix from Robert De Niro then must defeat him through a series of cat and mouse games. In actuality Eddie Morra (Bradley Cooper) is a struggling writer/slob who acquires a drug called NZT-48, a pill that allows him to recall everything from the briefest of encounters. In minutes he is transformed from a guy no one could believe has a book deal to a man no one can do without. Doors open, too many doors really. Eddie's problem solving solutions end up fanning the flames of questions around him, and before long it seems that everyone in the city is after him. The intricate dynamics that weave this trail of lies is the best since Match Point (2005).

Cooper's performance totally shocked me. He's able to go from panicked addict to conversationalist genius and back without losing the support of the audience. With no key player for Eddie to confide in or take along for the journey, the supporting performances are little more than plot points. Abbie Cornish and Robert De Niro don't have nearly as much range to showcase in this screenplay. However with a little change, Anna Friel's one scene could have been expanded into something with more drama and likely give Limitless the emotional impact needed for some to take it seriously.

Enough cannot be said for how amazingly brisk and refreshing the production comes across. Nearly every scene has at least some artistic appeal. This is one of the more attractive films I've seen using the Red digital cameras and I have to give the colorist some praise for the warm palette used to show the influence of NZT-48. Thanks to the mind-altering plot, Limitless is one of the few movies where extravagant transitions make sense.

Limitless is indicative of a minor subgenre that sprang up around the dawn of the current millennium; I call this the genre of self-discovery. Examples of these films include Fight Club and The Beach and more examples can be found in Asian cinema (where I also believe Limitless drew inspiration for art direction). The primary goal of these metaphysical pictures is to delve into what makes us tick. Limitless asks the viewer to exam what's holding each of us back from being the perfect versions of ourselves, and by stories end this viewer certainly felt inspired.

I can see room to complain when it comes to the way Limitless approaches relationships. Remember, I'm seeing this as a specialty film about inner exploration and as such I'm allowing for some leeway in how director Neil Burger is able to keep the pace going while focusing almost exclusively on Eddie. Still, I would have appreciated one scene showing how his limitless knowledge afforded him relationship-handling tact.

Limitless has such a breathtaking pace that you aren't going to find the time needed to nitpick. Some of the action at movie's end is resolved with little plausibility, but it's too much fun to attack. At least the title of Limitless offers some truth in advertising.

I was really looking forward to this movie. It has so much potential: an intriguing and clever concept, superb actors, decent script, good direction, sensational visual effects and editing, so what happened? I can't help but feel there was a great story driven film in here at one time during development. However, somehow studio executives -- no doubt pandering to the teenage boy demographic -- just had to add in all the predictable car chases and shoot-em-up gratuitous action. In the end this action was irritatingly distracting from the very captivating storyline that I kept on wishing they would come back to - i.e what happens when one has unlimited cognitive capacity. This is the same flaw that marred Christopher Nolan's otherwise fascinating story in Inception.

Note to studios and filmmakers why can't you be bold enough to just stick with the STORY? You're squandering these great concepts. Not every film needs to be an action/adventure.

A pill can make you smart is indeed an interesting concept but what is more interesting is the directing. It's not an ordinary thriller movie. The director gave a lot of style in this movie to make it more exciting. It definitely works and the movie is limitlessly entertaining. There are some plot holes that the filmmakers doesn't intend to fix it but still it's worth watching.

The movie is of course about an intellectual pill. It's intriguing to know what's the side effects of it. Well, it's quite fun to know what's going to happened to the protagonist but the movie's smartness isn't very limitless. There are massive plot holes in here. There are also some confusion in this.

If there is something limitless in here then it's the entertainment quality. Neil Burger gave a lot of style and ridiculousness in this film. The editing was quite fast and fun. The zooming in through places is amazing. The soundtrack and the music score does perfectly fit in every scene. The performances were good. Bradley Cooper is an entertaining actor but he had some weaknesses in serious scenes like crying or being scared. Robert De Niro only shows up in times but you know him, he is just being himself and there is nothing wrong with that.

Overall the movie is ridiculously fun. The movie is no cliché, it's all unique by so many reasons including the trippy, vertigo, and zooming in style. It's intriguing, it's fast, and it's smart at times. "Limitless" is another movie that has merits that ignore the flaws. It's just a non-stop entertaining solid flick.

I have to say that this movie panders to my particular taste, which is to say it has a well crafted story for our times, good acting and just the right blend of New York atmosphere mixed with a sci-fi feel. The other main issue is drugs. I personally have partook in the search for an intelligence enhancing substance and it was quite believable to watch Bradley Cooper transform from a bohemian-slob to a brainiac-overacheiver. The characters were well written and thought-out. The situations were too close to home for me to ignore. The character driven story was exemplary to any current sci-fi films.

The tension was akin to any good crime drama but the plot kept it teasingly interesting. Why didn't I hear of this book? Anyways, Eddie(Bradley Cooper) is trying to meet a deadline after breaking it off with the love of his life(Abbie Cornish),and is on a downward spiral. He runs into an ex-brother-in-law who appears to be a druggie, but is actually involved in designer drug production, and is ensnared in a plot that leads him from the Russian Mafia to Wall Street. The science behind this movie is very believable and I applaud the producers for being brave enough to bringing it to the screen

A stylish movie with an interesting premise that delivers more than it fails.

Bradley Cooper, as "Eddie Mora," was good in the lead and actually all the characters in the film were interesting. That includes the villains were credibly menacing.

Anyone who has been hooked on any kind of pill can relate to this film. The pill in this story, however, is different from anything anyone's heard of....and intriguing. You can't help but wonder if you would be tempted to take it yourself.

Co-starring with Cooper and his magic pill is the style of the film. It's very stylish and looks great on Blu-Ray. If you're into visuals, this is a good movie to check out. The same goes for fans of suspense.

I found this very entertaining and a film I would watch again. Yeah, the ending is a little contrived but, overall, it's a fun movie to watch.

LIMITLESS has the advantage of telling a fairly unusual story in a way that seems fresh and compelling, although there are serious problems with the narrative throughout. In essence it tells of an ordinary man - a struggling writer in New York - who comes into contact with an extraordinary drug that allows him to use 100% of his brain, rather than the 20% that the ordinary person supposedly uses.

It's a story of rags to riches with a sting in the tail: like all drugs, this one is incredibly addictive and boasts some serious withdrawal symptoms to boot. Still, I particularly enjoyed watching the central character engage with the financial market, and use his new-found skills to make himself an almost overnight success.

The story is enlivened by some cool special effects, particularly the endless zoom shot which whizzes through the streets and locales in a way which fizzes with energy (a shame then that it eventually becomes repetitive after it's used too much). The introduction of some Russian gangsters add some decent thriller aspects to the narrative, although certain sequences feel completely out of place (the subway fight, based around viewings of Bruce Lee flicks on TV, feels like something straight from the Thai martial arts flick CHOCOLATE). Bradley Cooper has never been a first choice for me as an actor, but he acquits himself pretty well here and De Niro is very good, as always.

I was skeptical at first about this movie, which is why I didn't go see it the week that it came out. I just figured it was all too obvious what would happen and to be honest some of that did happen yet they did the expected so well that it really didn't seem to make a big difference that I saw it coming a mile off. Which made the things that you didn't expect even better. I enjoyed this movie so much that I would do the unthinkable that I've done only once in all of my years, and that is pay to see it again at the theater. I may even buy a copy of it when it comes out on Blu Ray. THAT's how good this is. The acting was superb and what I enjoyed most is that finally someone knows how to end a movie. BRAVO

Neil Burger's 'Limitless' is a clever dumb film, which is surprisingly entertaining. It has thrills, spills and pills.

Eddie Morra (Bradley Cooper) is a quotidian New York writer. He lives in a decrepit downtown shack, and hasn't written a word in his 'new' book for longer than he remembers. He can't articulate what his book is supposed to be about, but that doesn't stop his delusional grandeur.

One day, Eddie bumps into his ex-brother-in-law. They exchange some obsequious patter, before the ex sees Eddie for what he is: a bum. Pitying him, the ex offers him a pill that will change his life forever.

Don't ask me how the pill works. Don't even ask the filmmakers. Just know that it does work. The pill enables Eddie to access 100% of his brain, instead of the customary 20%. Random trivia subconsciously stored long ago can now be instantly recalled. Eddie's potential is potentially limitless.

We see many examples (the most enjoyable bits) of what these $800 pills can do. Eddie writes his book in four days, extemporises at the piano in three, and learns to speak several languages. He's now the smartest person in the world (implied, not asserted). It's not long before he makes the obvious connection to money. He schmoozes his way into a top energy firm, under the supervision of Carl Van Loon (Robert De Niro).

Being the great bastion of solicitude that it is, Hollywood takes its responsibility of highlighting the ills of drug abuse – even one that gives the user genuine powers – seriously. The pill lasts only a few hours, and addiction causes grotesque side-effects.

It gets a bit far-fetched when others start taking the pill, and the penultimate scene (which could have been the ending, but thank goodness it wasn't) is profoundly awful. I won't even hint at what it includes; I want you to shriek in disbelief as I did. Absurdity abounds, but it's not a fault because it's within context. Smart dialogue covers up many of the contrivances, and De Niro does more here than he has done for years: he acts without mugging.

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