Photo by: Csicon
Bradley Cooper fans are in for a treat if they go see his newest action-thriller.
“Limitless,” while mind-numbingly jumbled in the last 30 minutes, is still a great suspenseful thriller.
Cooper stars as protagonist Eddie Morra, a failing writer fresh off a break up after his girlfriend Lindy (Abbie Cornish) dumps him, his rent looms within his cluttered and small apartment, and alcohol is his only friend.
This all changes when his ex-wife’s brother Vernon (Johnny Whitworth) offers him NZT, a pharmaceutical pill that lets Eddie access the maximum potential of his brain.
Eddie goes on to make millions with his newly gained intelligence, and at first life is perfect. Women want him, rich businessmen like Carl Van Loon (Robert DeNiro) want to hire him for his new gift of picking the right stocks to buy, and he even finishes writing a novel in only a few days.
However, NZT begins to cause life-threatening problems. Eddie forgets what happens during certain parts of the day. People are dying and nobody knows who is responsible. If that was not enough, Eddie becomes addicted to the drug.
While the plot is mostly smart, fast-paced and full of risks (taken mostly by Eddie), but only one issue arises at the end. It seems that director Neil Burger suddenly noticed how much complexity needed to be addressed and proceeded to pack a ton of confusing scenes at the end of the film.
Despite this jumbled mess, Cooper shines as does Cornish, but it would have been better to see a bit more of DeNiro because the chemistry between Robert DeNiro and Bradley Cooper is the real treat.
Viewers should expect any annoying drug-inducing shots usually seen in other drug movies. The camerawork is even fun when Eddie is blacking out, speeding ahead of time or barfing in business meetings from a drug overdose.
Cooper does a great job of stepping into a less comedic role; his role is not lost within the other characters, nor does he try to cram too many jokes in. Suspense and thriller seekers will be more than pleased with all the performances.
As for college students uncertain of which movie to see on the weekend, “Limitless” is a fantastic choice. They should just be sure to bring their own FDA-approved drug (Advil) to ease a headache during the portion of the movie.
