LIMITLESS

title: LIMITLESS
year: 2011
cast: Bradley Cooper, Robert DeNiro, Abbie Cornish, Andrew Howard
rating: ***1/2

A brainy thriller somewhat reminiscent of THE GAME, but in this case the main character – a scruffy writer living a pointless existence – is aware of everything. Thanks to a wonder drug offered by his ex brother in law... a super secret pill that hasn't hit the market... Bradley Cooper can use 100% of his brain, making him a hopped-up genius who can figure out anything around him. But the drug only works for 24 hours... and as some violent luck would have it, he gets his hands on a whole bunch. He writes a few books and then ventures into big business. Here's where the drug's inevitable side-effects (including blackouts) not only cause problems to our protagonist, but snags the film's energetic pace. Although Robert DeNiro, as a sly mogul not completely enthralled by the protege's wisdom, keeps things on track; one lecture in particular, explaining the difference between flash and substance, proves the icon hasn't lost his touch. But it's Bradley Cooper's film and he makes a terrific pawn whose only control occurs under the drug's influence, which soon winds up in the wrong hands: turning the cerebral odyssey into an action-packed ride. And it all works despite some flaws, including the very last minute: meant as a witty twist but feeling more like a dull hiss at the end of a sparkling fuse.