Bradley Cooper is shown in a scene from “Limitless.” (Photo credit: Relativity Media)
‘Limitless’ delves into dangers of ambition
It’s human nature to want to better yourself, to be the best at what you do. So, would you, if you had the chance, play guinea pig to a potentially dangerous, unknown drug that may create the best possible you? Well, if you said no, you may be the only one. “Limitless,” which released Friday, glorifies such a situation, and it leaves you wondering, “What if…?”
“Limitless,” directed by Neil Burger (“The Illusionist“), is based off the Alan Glynn novel, “The Dark Fields.” The main character, Eddie Morra (Bradley Cooper, “The Hangover“), is bit of listless loser who writes for a living. However, for the novel he’s working on now, he has yet to write a single word. And that is a just analogy of his life: lost. He’s already divorced and just lost his girlfriend, plus he’s a bit of an alcoholic. But, his luck changes (or does it?) when he runs into his ex-brother-in-law, Vernon (Johnny Withworth), who used to deal drugs. But now, it turns out, Vernon is a “pharmaceutical consultant” who has access to a new drug that allows the taker to utilize the untapped recesses of his mind. The clear, small pill, Vernon says, will make you a better you. And so, after a little reflective thinking, Eddie decides to take a trip. And what a trip it is. He quickly finishes his book, cleans his horrifying disgusting apartment and works to get his life in order. But when he wakes up the next day, he quickly realizes his blissful high has evaporated. So, unsurprisingly, Eddie decides to seek out Vernon for more of the pills. But a series of unfortunate events leaves Eddie with Vernon’s stash of MDT, and now that he has his pills, Eddie’s life takes a miraculous turn for the better, even landing him a lucrative consulting job in the financial industry. But not all is as swell. A group of thugs are searching for the drugs, Eddie’s endeavor into the financial world has pitted him against a heavyweight, Carl Van Loon (Robert De Niro, “The Untouchables“), and it seems the miracle drug has some heavy side effects. The remainder of the movie is a drug-induced rush to solve the puzzle and save his life.
Audiences may be used to Cooper playing the pretty boy, but “Limitless” is a giant step outside of his comfort zone, and it shows that he is more than just a pretty face. It’s a absolute pleasure to see that Copper has some actual acting chops. The acting in general was decent, especially with De Niro and Abbey Cornish (the love interest) as secondary characters.
However, one of the best aspects of the movie was the filmography. When Eddie is off the drug, the background is grimy and lackluster. But when he pops some MDT, everything comes into focus, gets sharper, seems brighter. It’s a cool trick, and rather ingenious for special effects.
All in all, while “Limitless” has its limits, it’s still a fresh movie, considering its focus is on drugs. Still, no matter what the drug does for you, it would be for the best to avoid something you picked up off the street. So remember, kids, say no to drugs. Unless it gives you a four-digit IQ. Then have at it.
Three ambitious stars out of five.
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