Limitless Review

What would you do if you could take a pill that allowed you access to your entire brain all at the same time?  Would you take it?  And what if it had serious, life threatening side effects?  Would you still try it?  What would you do with all that knowledge and power?  These are the questions the film Limitless asks us.  It’s an intriguing concept, but a few of the films missteps keep it from fully reaching its full potential.

Our main character (played by Bradley Cooper) is a struggling writer who has lost all respect from the people who know him.  Never published and living off his current girlfriend until she dumps him, life is just not looking good.  So many ideas and no drive to accomplish them.

That is until he’s offered a unique opportunity to try out an unreleased super drug that enables the use of his entire brain.  When things get as low as they can go, he takes the pill and that’s when it all changes.  Everything becomes clearer and he starts getting lucky with the women, finishes a book in three days and eventually decides he can make money in the financial business. Lots of money.  Life is good. He has everything he could ever want, but it never satisfies.  One could see this as a presentation of our own corporate America.  Striving to gain, putting all our time and resources into taking what we believe we are due.  The embodiment of selfishness.  But things don’t stay perfect for long as some very dark figures are out to get the pills as well.  Soon, he finds himself juggling to stay in control of all he has gained by working with one of the most successful and deadly businessmen around and trying to stay alive as a few others want to kill him for the pills and all that they offer.

The performances are all outstanding throughout the film and the shift in color spectrum of deluded colors when he’s off the pills and the vibrant world that appears when he takes the pills.  It’s a dramatic shift that works really well to visually describe what the character feels.  What doesn’t work, however are the many monologue’s that occur throughout the film.  I realize they are meant to help us get into the head of the character, but I found them to be very distracting to the rest of the film.  I would have preferred to see the characters actions and interactions with others to really help us understand his motives and thoughts.  Also, the use of the cool zooming visual effect that occurs a few times during the film is somewhat tacky and really doesn’t serve any purpose.

Despite a few flaws, it’s still an enjoyable film that keeps you guessing on what will happen next and it’s certainly worth a watch.

7/10