Limitless (15) ****

Mar 31 2011 By Fraser Glen

Limitless

THE old scientific myth is that we use less than a quarter of our brain.

So, what would happen if we could access our full capabilities and how different a person would we become?

Well, Eddie Mora (Bradley Cooper) is given this chance by simply taking a small clear pill.

Eddie is a failing writer, struggling to pay rent and on the verge of losing his girlfriend, until he bumps into his shady ex-brother-in-law Vernon (Johnny Whitworth) who offers him a small mysterious pill.

After taking the pill, Eddie finds himself, for the first time, with a "clearer" view to the world, with the ability to remember anything he has ever read, able to complete a novel and win back his love interest all while conquering the stock market in a few days.

Based on the trailer, the film's plot could simply be mistaken as one in which a man who takes a pill becomes smart, maybe learning a few life lessons on the way, before living happily ever after.

But, thankfully, Limitless not only turns into a fast-paced thriller but also questions the morality of the pill which will leave the audience asking themselves, what would they do in the same position.

Although the second half of Limitless may not be as fast-paced and the plot has a few small flaws, such as why does the character of Eddie make a couple of odd decisions if he is so smart, it doesn't take anything away from the stunning visuals by director Neil Burger or Cooper's confident lead role.

The fast pace of Limitless allows the plot not to be put under too much scrutiny and Burger's fantastic visual images represent the effects of the pill on the main character as he takes it.

Cooper is perfect for the role of the new-improved Eddie after he takes the drug, with his charisma and good looks, but during the pre-drug scenes at the start, he handles the opposite personality of the character, equally as well, if not, better.

The voice-over narration of Cooper is familiar to that in Fight Club, but again highlights Cooper's confidence in the role as he turns into a charming fast-talking millionaire.

Supporting Cooper, Abbie Cornish puts in a solid performance as Eddie's on/off girlfriend and we see Robert De Niro in arguably his best role in recent years.

De Niro's role as rich businessman, Carl Van Loon, looking to take advantage of Eddie's new success, is little more than a cameo but hopefully a sign for more future roles with him back to his best.

Even just by looking at the film poster and seeing Cooper and De Niro against a busy city backdrop, it's clear that the smart choice would be to see Limitless and ask yourself, would you take a mysterious pill to exceed all your expectations?