So why haven't you written your review of Limitless yet?
Not sure I can be bothered.
Was it rubbish?
No. Not really. Then, I'd have had more to say about it.
Well, was it ace-stuff then?
Not ace-stuff either.
So... average?
Probably the averagest film I've seen this year. There wasn't anything wrong with it per se...
Please don't call me Percy.
...there just weren't any surprises. Limitless did EXACTLY what I expected it to from start to finish. Bradley Cooper is a loser writer (yay - my kind of hero!) who gets a free sample of a new wonder drug that allows him to access 100% of his brain power. He's turned into a smart-arse genius, finishes his novel in a week, wins back his ex-girlfriend, becomes a wunderkind on the stock exchange (even in today's market!), gets money, fame, fast cars, cheap sex... and then it all starts to go predictably wrong. The drug has nasty side effects. A loan shark wants more than just his money back. People are out to kill Bradley for being a smart-arse pretty-boy. Robert De Niro shows his warty face... and you know things are bad when that happens. And then, just when you're thinking this is some kind of "there's no short cuts to the top / be careful what you wish for" morality tale, Bradders manages to pull off a deus ex machina escape plan that brings him up smelling of roses.
So, typical cheesy Hollywood happy ending then?
Pretty much. Though it left a somewhat nasty taste in my mouth. Cooper is a charismatic chap (and he certainly puts in more effort than old phone-it-in De Niro) but I couldn't help but feel he got away with murder here. As did the writers. Still, at least they didn't name their movie after a 2 Unlimited song...
