'LIMITLESS': Three Stars (Out of Five)

Bradley Cooper has came a long way from TV's 'ALIAS'. Here he headlines his first major motion picture, taking over a role once filled by Shia LaBeouf (who backed out of the film after hurting his arm in an automobile accident). A film with Robert De Niro playing a supporting player! As a whole the movie is entertaining but nothing great and Cooper's leading man performance is adequate but not spectacular. I think he's better in ensemble pieces like 'THE HANGOVER' and 'THE A-TEAM'. The film tells the story of a down on his luck writer who takes a secret drug which enhances the level his brain is able to function at, making him 'super smart'. It's directed by Neil Burger and written by Leslie Dixon (based on the book 'The Dark Fields' by Alan Glynn).

Cooper plays Eddie Morra, a New York City writer who's recently been dumped by his girlfriend (Abbie Cornish, who has also recently been seen co-starring in 'SUCKER PUNCH'). He's struggling to meet a deadline for a book he's been contracted to write when he stumbles upon his ex brother-in-law (Johnny Whitworth) who offers him a free sample of an unknown pharmaceutical drug called NZT. The drug provides him the ability to use a hundred percent of his brain's full capacity, as opposed to the supposed normal twenty percent, and makes him super confident. When he comes across a full stash of the drug he begins succeeding at everything he had always dreamed of. Then the side effects kick in and he discovers there are others after the drug as well that will stop at no cost to get a hold of it.

The movie has an interesting premise and is played out at an amusing pace but it's full of holes and moral detachment. Without giving away too much I'll just say that if you stop to think about many details in the story they don't really make sense. There's also several things the main character does in the film that are highly morally questionable yet they're portrayed as if they're heroic actions. I also think Cooper isn't quite cut out to carry a film like this and makes the character even a little less likable. With all it's flaws the movie is still somewhat interesting and intriguing and definitely entertaining. It's a mixed bag but worth the watch.

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When I went to watch this movie it was without any knowledge about it at all. No idea what it was about, what kind of movie it was, hadn't even seen any trailers. Only seen the poster.

And now that I have seen it, I am sitting here thinking 'was that really it?' This movie was somewhat disappointing to me. Sure, it had a great enough storyline, but there was way too much nonsense being shown in various shots and moving camera-styles.

Despite having a fairly interesting enough plot, there were times when the movie was limping at a slow pace and it was bordering on being unbearable. But then the movie took a change of pace and picked up in speed, becoming interesting yet again. So I have a somewhat mixed feel about this movie.

Bradley Cooper really did a great job in the lead role of Eddie Morra, and he really carried the movie, making it that much better to watch. Sad to say, but Robert De Niro wasn't really shining through in this movie, but of course, he was only having a supporting role.

For a thriller, this movie failed to thrill me one bit. And it is not a movie that I will be making a second trip back to watch. Bagged and tagged.

Limitless is a high concept movie. Bradley Cooper is an author suffering from writer's block and his life seems to be spiralling out of control.

He comes across a designer drug called NZT that allows him to function his brain at greater heights. All of a sudden he becomes smarter, learns faster and recalls memory from the distant past.

However the drug is not without side effects but very soon he attracts the attention of gangsters and business tycoons.

Cooper invests in his character and is charismatic in the lead role. However the film becomes sloppy and silly even though it remains entertaining.

It telegraphs all its moves. You just know who the bad guys are and what they are after.