By Kate Rodger
I’d liked the look of the trailer for Limitless; it was stylish, pacey, intriguing and hot Bradley Cooper is always an enticing watch. The entire movie is none of those things.
I’ll be the first to admit this is more of a bloke’s film, and since I’m not a bloke, then I’m less likely to fizz on it.
But really, Limitless?
An aimless script full of gimmicky visual chicanery and more holes than a PGA golf-course... I just couldn’t wait for it all to stop.
Story: Listless wanna-be writer Eddie Morra gets dumped by his girlfriend (Abbie Cornish) as he battles writers block. He bumps into his former brother-in-law who gives him a pill to “maximize his potential”, and before we know it he’s the toast of Wall Street with more brain power than Stephen Hawking and more luck with the ladies than JFK.
Of course there are always consequences to our actions, there is no such thing as a free lunch, no party without the hangover. Eddie finds himself being chased by other pill-poppers hooked on the brainpower, and those desperate to control its supply. He also discovers that like all great drugs, the side effects can be hefty, especially when you try to give them up.
The germ of the idea behind this film is actually kinda cool. But once the seed of that germ is planted, it grows into the silliest story, eventually spinning off into WTF??
I was bored by the brainlessness of it all after 20 minutes, an hour later and I was like ‘read me the last rites”.
One and a half stars.
3 News
Limitless
:: Director: Neil Burger
:: Starring: Bradley Cooper, Anna Friel, Robert De Niro, Johnny Whitworth, Abbie Cornish, Robert John Burke
:: Running Time: 105 mins
:: Rating: M - contains violence, sexual references & offensive language
:: Release Date: March 17, 2011
