Limitless
BLU-RAY 
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Director:
Neil Burger Actors: Bradley Cooper Robert De Niro Abbie Cornish Rating:
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WHAT'S IT ABOUT?
Eddie Mora (Bradley Cooper) is a loser. Lucky enough to land a book deal, Mora hasn’t even been able to write a single word, and has just been ditched by his girlfriend (Abbie Cornish). But- a chance encounter puts him in contact with a large supply of a new super-drug, which allows him to access parts of his brain he never thought possible. Overnight, he becomes a genius, but with his success comes scrutiny from a Wall Street honcho (Robert De Niro), Russian Mobsters, and others.
IS IT A GOOD MOVIE?
I don’t really know what my problem was when I originally saw LIMITLESS, but looking through the JoBlo.com archives, I see that I trounced it. Having just watched it again, I was flabbergasted at how decent a film it actually is, and perhaps this is a case where I just let a bunch of minor flaws totally color my perception.
As it is, LIMITLESS is not perfect. A lot of the subplot involving his girlfriend (Cornish) falls flat, and the tacked-on epilogue is ludicrous. But overlooking these issues, there’s a lot about LIMITLESS to like. For one thing, Cooper is dynamic in the lead, and it’s easy to see why he’s being touted as a leading man, as this is really the first film (outside THE HANGOVER) to really show off his acting chops.
But, what really makes LIMITLESS sparkle is the terribly relevant plot. Pharmaceuticals play a huge role nowadays, and mood-altering drugs- especially anti-depressants, have become omni-present. Is it too much of a stretch to think I drug boosting IQ is that far off into the future? Obviously the filmmakers don’t think so, and LIMITLESS is a striking return to form for director Neil Burger, who hit big a few years ago with THE ILLUSIONIST, but stumbled with THE LUCKY ONES. LIMITLESS shows off a surprising versatility, and a real visual flair.
As it is, LIMITLESS is not perfect. A lot of the subplot involving his girlfriend (Cornish) falls flat, and the tacked-on epilogue is ludicrous. But overlooking these issues, there’s a lot about LIMITLESS to like. For one thing, Cooper is dynamic in the lead, and it’s easy to see why he’s being touted as a leading man, as this is really the first film (outside THE HANGOVER) to really show off his acting chops.
But, what really makes LIMITLESS sparkle is the terribly relevant plot. Pharmaceuticals play a huge role nowadays, and mood-altering drugs- especially anti-depressants, have become omni-present. Is it too much of a stretch to think I drug boosting IQ is that far off into the future? Obviously the filmmakers don’t think so, and LIMITLESS is a striking return to form for director Neil Burger, who hit big a few years ago with THE ILLUSIONIST, but stumbled with THE LUCKY ONES. LIMITLESS shows off a surprising versatility, and a real visual flair.
THE EXTRAS
This is pretty much the same disc that’s already out for LIMITLESS, albeit in new Steelbook packaging- which is a Best Buy exclusive in Canada (where the film has a different distributor). The extras are all ported over. There’s an alternate ending which isn’t all that different from the one already in the film (there’s gotta be another one on the cutting room floor somewhere). There’s two EPK featurettes, the trailer , commentary by Burger , and an UNRATED CUT which is a bit more violent (mostly in the climax) than the PG-13 theatrical.
FINAL DIAGNOSIS
Overall, LIMITLESS is a film I’m glad I revisited. Think of CHARLY on meth, and you’ve got LIMITLESS.
