Limitless

Here is a very goofy little thriller that winds up working, because it knows just how goofy it is. Limitless is full of half-baked ideas, plot holes, and missed opportunities. And yet, it's fun, fast-paced, and most importantly, doesn't allow itself to be taken seriously for a second. Director Neil Burger also has a strong visual sense, using inventive special effects to tell his story, and bring us into the main character's world. This is a fun ride, as long as you don't think too much while watching it.

When we first meet the film's hero, Eddie Morra (Bradley Cooper), he's a broken down man whose world is falling down around him. He's a writer with a book deal at a publisher, but he hasn't been able to write a single word. He lives in a dump of an apartment, and his long-time girlfriend (Abbie Cornish) has had enough. She walks out on him, leaving Eddie alone to contemplate his future. That's when he happens to have a chance encounter with an ex-brother-in-law named Vernon (Johnny Whitworth), a man who used to be a low level drug dealer, but now seems to be doing well for himself. Vernon claims he's now legit, and is helping to sell a medical drug called NZT, which is supposed to improve a person's brain functions. It's safe and FDA-approved, and sensing that Eddie needs all the help he can get, Vernon offers him a free sample. Desperate, and perhaps curious, Eddie takes the pill, and suddenly, he is able to unlock and use 100% of his brain. The words for his book that have long alluded him suddenly fly, allowing him to knock off half the novel in an afternoon. The enthusiastic response from his publisher, as well as the eye-opening effect of the drug itself, convinces Eddie that he needs more.

Eddie does come across more, and with the aid of the drug, he suddenly can become the man he's always wanted to be. He corners the stock market, becomes a millionaire, and can master languages in hours. Since this is a thriller, we know that there has to be consequences, and indeed there are. The effects on Eddie's body are quite serious when he runs out, and becomes desperate for more. Not only that, he becomes entangled in a complex web of gangsters and shady businessmen, including one of the most powerful ones in New York, Carl Van Loon (Robert De Niro). There's also a Russian mobster who gets his hands on some NZT, and starts threatening Eddie for more. All of this unfolds in fairly standard action thriller fashion. There's a lot of big stunts, action set pieces, and scenes where Eddie finds himself in over his head, or staring down the barrel of a gun.

And yet, Limitless works, because it knows how ludicrous it is. I liked Eddie's sarcastic narration, which sometimes almost sounds like screenwriter Leslie Dixon (2007's The Heartbreak Kid) laughing at the implausible plot. I have read some reviews that complain that the movie relies too much on action sequences for a movie that's supposed to be about a guy who gains a genius level I.Q. And yet, I think even those who do complain will have to admit that the action sequences are very well done, and a lot of fun to watch. I liked the film's fast pace, and the whole thing kind of works on a popcorn entertainment level. Thinking too deeply about the plot will drive you bonkers, so it's probably best if you just go along for the ride.

At least there's a talented cast that knows how to sell this material. Bradley Cooper is very charming in both stages of his character (the disheveled loser, and the suave "master of the universe" businessman). He gives Eddie a lot of appealing everyman qualities, making it easier to go along with him through the winding plot. And it's kind of nice to see Robert De Niro not slumming it for once. Sure, this isn't a great role for him, but considering a lot of the garbage he's been faced with lately, he at least gets to be taken seriously again here. The rest of the cast fill their roles well enough, but don't really stand out. It's especially frustrating how Abbie Cornish kind of comes and goes from the screenplay at will as Eddie's off-and-on again girlfriend.

There are other problems to be found. A subplot concerning a murder in a hotel room is never really properly resolved, and a lot of the ideas the plot brings up could have been explored more. So yeah, Limitless is far from perfect. But it works enough that I'm giving it a marginal recommendation. I had fun while watching it, and got caught up in the silliness. This may not be the smartest movie out there, but at least it's smart enough to laugh at itself.

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