'Limitless'

'Limitless' (PG-13) (3 stars)

Writer: Leslie Dixon based on novel by Alan Glynn
Director: Neil Burger
Starring: Bradley Cooper, Robert Deniro, Abbie Cornish, Anna Friel, Andrew Howard,
Robert John Burke, Johnny Whitworth

"Limitless", like the drug the story is based on, goes through your system so fast you don't realize how preposterous it all is. Once you crash down and leave the theatre you might forget most of it but you know you had a lot of fun! "Limitless" stars fast rising Hollywood actor Bradley Cooper as Eddie Morra, a down on his luck loser who is trying to write the great American novel and has no job. His ex brother-in-law gives Eddie this new drug that will revitalize his brain. This drug makes Eddie see things more clearly and a lot happens to Eddie when he takes the pill. Of course he becomes addicted and somehow finds a new hidden stash of the drug. Not only is math more useful but Eddie writes a book in four days and suddenly can speak multiple languages and also becomes a stock market and business genius and guru. Like with other drugs Eddie realizes there are freaky side effects and the movie is great with it's visual effects. The camera speeds up and the picture freezes and the movie seems to want to be a mini "Inception".

If you think Eddie will become rich and successful after using the drug and there will be no problems don't see this movie. Eddie learns that there are others interested in this drug and him. First there is a meeting set up with a powerful business owner Carl Van Loon played by Deniro. Eddie also gets mixed up with a scary loan shark played delightfully by Andrew Howard. There is also an on and off again girlfriend played by Abbie Cornish in a thankless and waste of a role. The movie starts out brilliantly and really sucks us into the story. Bradley Cooper is a great lead actor and he gets us interested in Eddie and the story. Who wouldn't want to take a drug that would make them a new person and successful and rich ? In an ironic way I do love that the movie becomes a moral lesson not to do any type of drugs. It might be a rush at first but there are dangers and you will crash down to reality quickly.

Robert Deniro is pretty good here if at times it feels like he is making a cameo in the movie. I am just glad he is not mugging on camera in a humiliating comedy with penis jokes. Bradley Cooper deserves to be a star because he can hold a movie together even when it gets violent and very unbelievable. There is a lot in this movie that couldn't realistically happen in real life no matter how powerful the drug is. The movie gets busy with a lot of chase scenes and action and sometimes it becomes too much. You just have to sit back, enjoy the ride and not think too much. The movie is fast paced, exciting and a lot of fun when pretty much every movie in 2011 so far have been dull and painful. This movie is like taking a sip of an energy drink, it gets you buzzed and then in the end you realize you have been suckered in. When you leave the theatre you shake your head in disbelief but you know you had fun.

P.S. Abbie Cornish is an amazing new actress with a lot of talent and I was sad that her character here is the typical girlfriend role. The only importance she has here is in a chase scene that becomes violent. Also the movie is PG-13 but I was surprised by that because the movie can get violent and graphic. I wouldn't suggest taking a young child to this movie.