What if you could take a tablet that would allow you to access the remaining 80% of your brain that we apparently don't use. You could write a novel in four days, learn how to play the piano in three. Where would it stop? This is the premise for the movie, Limitless.
Eddie (played by the rather yummy Bradley Cooper - The Hangover) is a writer who is down on his luck. Despite having somehow landed himself a book contract for a book he hadn't even written (someone explain that one to me!) he's suffering from writer's block. His girlfriend has just left him, his apartment is a wreck, and he's behind on his rent. But, by chance, he runs into his ex-brother in law who bestows upon him a secret drug which opens up the part of his brain he doesn't use. He takes the drug and discovers he can just pull up everything he's ever learnt, ever seen. He becomes crazily smart and at the same time has a total make-over, transforming himself from a bum to a smart business man. He can now make himself a fortune and get all the girls, but he discovers the drug has some alarming side effects.
Limitless is a good, action thriller. It went into a little more depth than I'd expected and some of the cinematography was great. Without going into too much detail, I enjoyed the implications at the end and it stirred up a decent conversation between myself and my husband about exactly what had happened (which is always a sign of a good movie in our house!).
I did find that the person Eddie becomes is completely different from the one he started up being. There are also some potential moral issues about how someone with super-human intelligence should really be focusing on curing cancer instead of getting rich, driving fast cars and sleeping with models. There is also a murder sub-plot which doesn't really bring anything to the storyline except make the viewer doubt the integrity of Eddie's character.
However, if you forget all that and accept the movie for what it is - a fast-paced, relatively intelligent thriller -Limitless is an enjoyable film.
4/5 stars!
3 comments:
I have a problem accepting the fact that people say we don't use 80% of our brains. I read several articles written by doctors that say that 80% may not be devoted to conscious thought, but it is used by our bodies to regulate and control functions related to living. So if someone were to use all of their brain...I would think that they'd have a problem breathing.
That's a good point! Perhaps you could be really smart, but would also end up on life support so no one would actually know about it. Hmmm... Have a feeling that might not make quite such an action packed film! ;-)
I thought there were some wonderful visuals to this film, some striking ideas, but it left me feeling kinda cold. I'm not that keen on Bradley Cooper. That COULD be it!
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