Limitless (15)

Film

Drama

limitlessREV804

Time Out rating:

<strong>Rating: </strong>4/5

User ratings:

<strong>Rating: </strong>3/5
Rate this  

Time Out says

Tue Mar 22 2011

Do you like to leave the cinema feeling like someone’s been slagging you off from the back row? Then ‘Limitless’ could be for you. It’s a colourful, brutally nihilistic takedown of all the things most of us hold sacred (love, art, religion, politics) and some of the things we don’t (pharmaceuticals, economics and those who work in pharmaceuticals and economics). Bradley Cooper excels as Eddie Morra, an obsessive character with a million-dollar smile who we meet as an under-motivated New York author and leave as a politician running for high office. In the interim, we chart his addiction to a clear, shirt-button-like pill that harnesses the full power of the brain, turning him from a greasy schlub into a chiselled, all-conquering super-brain. But at what price?

If you think this sounds too ‘Twilight Zone’, then you’re in for a surprise, as ‘Limitless’, based on Alan Glynn’s 2001 novel ‘The Dark Fields’, feels no need for wanton moralising. Instead it bludgeons its victims one by one and leaves a trail of beautiful corpses in its wake. It’s scatty and fast paced, and director Neil Burger employs some Gaspar Noé-style, bad-trip CG effects to heighten the mood. But the main reason the film is so successful and distinctive is that its satire pulls no punches: corporate tycoons are corrupt, unfeeling bastards, but will they really get their comeuppance? And rampant self-medicating of untested drugs can prompt paranoid, murderous urges, but at the end of the day, is that really such a bad thing for society?

Author: David Jenkins

26

Comments

Add +

Release details

Rated:

15

UK release:

Wed Mar 23, 2011

Duration:

105 mins

Cast and crew

Cast:

Bradley Cooper, Robert De Niro, Anna Friel, Abbie Cornish

Director:

Neil Burger

Share your thoughts
  4. * mandatory fields

Comments & ratings

Rated as: 3/5 (22 ratings)

  • Brilliant!

    Steven Sun Nov 11 2012
    Rated as: 5/5
    Report

  • Decent acting. Dumb script with plot holes you could drive a bus through, and an unearned ending that was obviously tacked on because test audiences in Iowa hated the whole thing. You only have to watch two mintes of one of the DVD extras to know that neither the director nor writer know the meaning of the word satire. Idiotic.

    ZodKneelsFirst Sat Aug 20 2011
    Report

  • quite fun

    chris jackson Mon May 23 2011
    Rated as: 3/5
    Report

  • decent night out. no more, no less

    Scrumpyjack Wed Apr 13 2011
    Rated as: 3/5
    Report

  • Don't over analyse what is a rollercoaster fun film. Brilliant!

    Justin Berkovi Tue Apr 12 2011
    Rated as: 5/5
    Report

  • Really enjoyed this film. I took it at face value (i.e. - as enjoyable and entertaining..and far fetched) and would give it full marks for being exciting, fast paced and good story line.

    martha Tue Apr 12 2011
    Rated as: 5/5
    Report

  • With you Marcia..enjoying it but felt somewhat deflated with it's flat conclusion. Lost it's way in the middle for me when it went all "Matrixy" in central park ice rink. Why Anna Friel? Grossly underused. What a waste. 2 out of 10.

    blib Fri Apr 8 2011
    Report

  • walked out after 40 mins, lot of rubish , tried to understand but failed , i think a lot did'nt , was murmerings from the audience, who on earth thinks of these crasy, and not a bit funny plots, i suppose the answer is morons,we go every week and can take in most , but not this,, is there a 0 stars

    john Thu Apr 7 2011
    Report

  • Limitless left me with lots of questions. If i took NZT what would I use that power to do. I think we can all be niave and say save people, cure disease etc but I think we may if honest be like Eddie and want to impresss people, show off and maybe make some poor decsions. The lure of money sex and admirations would prove difficult to turn down. I thought the effects used to demonstarte how Eddie brain felt whilst taking NZT were brilliant. There are some flaws but overall I enjoyed the movie and came out thinking about how we as humans use the 20% of brain we have in the wrong way at times so imagine if we had access to more?

    cheekycat Mon Apr 4 2011
    Rated as: 3/5
    Report

  • Quirky, fast-paced drama which never takes its self too seriously. As some others have pointed out, the script doesn`t always stand up to scrutiny; nevertheless this is above average entertainment.

    critique Sat Apr 2 2011
    Rated as: 3/5
    Report
  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  • Hotwise
  • Cool brands
  • Star