Limitless
Published 2011-08-06
Film info
- Title Limitless
- Director Neil Burger
- Year 2011
- Run time 1hr 45m
- Genres Mystery, Science Fiction, Thriller
- Tagline What if a pill could make you rich and powerful?
- Cast Bradley Cooper, Robert De Niro
Unsuccessful writer Eddie Morra’s life is transformed by NZT, a top-secret smart drug that allows him to use 100% of his brain and to become the perfect version of himself. But when Eddie’s enhanced abilities attract unwanted attention from the rich and powerful alike, he soon realises they’ll stop at nothing to uncover his secret.
Live blog
| Time | Comment |
|---|---|
| 0:30 | Never heard of Virgin Produced. Another Richard Branson enterprise! |
| 2:26 | A four digit IQ? That's epic Mensa. |
| 5:58 | Cleaning lady and bank, that sounds about right. |
| 7:38 | "Oh, you're still _trying_ to write?" Punch him! |
| 10:35 | There's got to be some serious withdrawals going from 100% back to 20%. |
| 12:38 | I didn't notice how grey the film was until the colour appeared! |
| 14:30 | I'm a bit scared. How much is in my brain that I don't know about? |
| 16:11 | If it helps him write a book, yea, I'm gonna want some of that. |
| 21:00 | That's a great reaction. Really good acting. |
| 25:24 | Anna Friel! |
| 28:59 | I can only assume he has some wicked blue contact lenses in. |
| 30:31 | Well, he's no Tom Daley. |
| 33:38 | Surely upping the dose does nothing? You can only access 100% of your brain, there is no more. |
| 40:17 | "I don't have delusions of grandeur, I have the recipe for grandeur." |
| 44:41 | What kind of TV show teaches you how to fight? |
| 46:37 | Couldn't account for the last 18 hours of his life in The Hangover too. I sense a theme. |
| 57:07 | I already can't concentrate for ten minutes, perhaps I best not take it. |
| 1:03:26 | The last thing we need is more people hooked on it. Don't take it, lady! |
| 1:08:51 | Always good to hear a Matrix reference. |
| 1:14:11 | A bunker! |
| 1:15:16 | "There is very little on this earth that 40 million dollars can't solve." |
| 1:22:02 | Goodness, is there anyone who isn't taking the drug? |
| 1:22:37 | This is where we came in. |
| 1:26:04 | He says it like "vocabluary." |
| 1:29:53 | I feel a bit bad for him. It's not his fault he shot his friend. |
| 1:32:55 | Woah, not a fan of Bradders with the super short hair! |
| 1:38:33 | Learning languages in days would also be brilliant. |
Thoughts
I've been looking forward to this one for a while, and it also came recommended to us from a family member as well, so that's double the pressure for the film to do well. Bradley Cooper seems to be everywhere at the moment, but I was not aware of Abbie Cornish's work.
Really enjoyed this film. The premise was good, the acting equally so. The camera work really made the difference - from the variety in colour to depict who was on what and when, to the moments where he was zooming through the streets, or helping himself put the sofa against the wall. The ending was a little ambiguous, which is always irritating, but it wasn't as bad as some we've seen.
Rating: 4 / 5
Revisited - Feb 2015
Since watching this for the first time I have read the book and also listened to the audiobook, and really enjoyed both. I figured re-watching the film would be interesting to see how it compared, although I knew the endings were significantly different.
A lot more of it was different to the source material, but that doesn't deter from what was a marvellous film. The use of colour, as mentioned above, is exquisite. Shot placement is perfect and limited use of effects adds to the intensity of the piece.
I was surprised at how little Robert de Niro is in it, and Anna Friel as well. They are essentially bit part players in a film that is entirely about Bradley Cooper - his ability to go from on top of the world to crashing hard is amazing. Great film.
Rating: 4 / 5