Limitless

What would you do if you were offered a drug that let you use all of your brain potential? Would you take it? That’s the very question “Limitless” asks in a visually-appealing, well-acted movie, that contains just a few plot problems.

Eddie Morra (Bradley Cooper) is a writer… well kinda. Eddie is trying to write his book but he just can’t seem to find the right words, until he is reunited with his ex-brother-in-law (Johnny Whitworth), Vernon who also happens to be an ex-drug dealer. Vernon manages to convince Eddie to try a new drug that is “FDA approved” that is able to access all one hundred percent power of the brain.

Eddie is now able to write his book, but it doesn’t stop there. He is able to learn at an incredible rate, remember things he didn’t know he knew and understand and use complex math equation. However, it all comes at a price and soon the side effects of the drug begin and hiding the drug proves to be more difficult. Although the drug makes the brain limitless, the supply is not and Eddie’s is slowly running out.

“Limitless” is an intriguing concept asking characters and the audience, “How far will you go?” The plot attempts to answer that question through Eddie’s story. The plot also contains action as Eddie is being trailed by a mysterious person and the people who also want the drug will go through any means to obtain it. It also moves as Eddie tries to figure out how to get more of the drug and as manages a merger between two companies.

As the plot unfolds, Eddie and the audience slowly have their questions answered and problems solved as different “clues” present themselves. However, at times the plot moves slowly in-between the different conflicts Eddie faces, fortunately this fails to linger for too long until a new conflict presents itself. Though once again the conflict is resolved and the plot slowly plods on, until uh-oh something else has gone wrong. Also, some loose ends of the story are never really tied up or at least they don’t feel like it.

The story in “Limitless” is all about Eddie, although there are supporting characters they fail to have a lot of screen time. The movie is all about Eddie and Cooper carries his character well. Cooper shows the “writer’s block” Eddie the audience sees at the beginning of movie as a down-and-out, unfocused person. The actor also manages to show the smart, sexy Eddie as well. The different sides to his character are portrayed well by Cooper, which makes the character seem more authentic. Also the emotional side to Eddie is displayed by Cooper as the drug starts to affect his life.

The change in Eddie is also well-shown by his look, changing from the long unkempt hair and baggy dirty clothes of the “old” Eddie to the short, combed hair and nice tailor-made suits of the “new” Eddie. His apartment also changes from dirty, sloppy to clean, organized along with new, expensive decorations. All these elements help visually show audiences the changes in Eddie and help tell his story.

The visuals in “Limitless” are incredible to watch (at least for people who aren’t motion sick). Several times in the movie the screen continually zooms through the streets of New York, through taxi cab window, down the street and through doors. Also when Eddie is on the drug the colors are brighter, giving the audience a glimpse of what the drug is like.

“Limitless” is a movie that does contain some plot-issues but despite that it is a movie that delivers an entertaining, thought-provoking story. The visuals and lighting also add to the experience “Limitless” has to offer. Bradley Cooper also gives a solid performance in the starring role. If nothing else “Limitless” will have the audience leave the theater thinking, “what would I do?”