Interesting and entertaining thriller

Rating: 7/10 (16 September 2013)

Eddie is a loser aspiring writer who just got dumped by his girlfriend. He runs into the brother of his ex-wife, with whom he was married for a few hours. This guy used to be a drug dealer but now is involved with legitimate pharmaceuticals, so he says. He offers a sample to Eddie of a drug he's come up with that is unlike anything. And sure enough, when Eddie takes it, all his neurons are activated and his brains functions at 100%. He writes a chapter for his book that impresses his editor and just functions at a very high level.
The next day Eddie visits the guy for some more drugs but he's beat up. After he returns from running some errands for him, he finds the guy shot and the place a mess. Someone was looking for something. He calls the cops and figures perhaps he can find the stash of drug. And he does.
And now he really turns his life around. He makes money gambling, learns a new language in a day, is introduced into the world of big money. He starts investing and makes a lot of money very fast. But he needs more to really make it big. He loans money from a loan shark and becomes a millionaire. His skill catches the attention and gets an interview with the biggest hedge fund boss around, played by De Niro. He wants Eddie to work on the biggest takeover he's got planned. But things don't turn right. The other company's CEO falls ill.
When Eddie is off drugs he obviously can't perform at a high level and he gets into some state where he loses track of time and doesn't know how he got to places. When one day his stash goes missing things turn ugly for him. He's accused of a murder that he doesn't even remember when he got involved with some girl. He's being followed by somebody. And the loan shark is after him. He, too, is now on the drug and wants Eddie to pay him in drugs. When he can't, the loan shark's killers find Eddie and nearly kill him, but Eddie finds a way out. Not only that but he recovers his stash and finds himself involved in politics and with money and power he can control everyone. But he has discovered that he's not the only one in high circles who know about or are on the drug.
Limitless is a fun, entertaining, and intriguing movie. It starts out pretty bleak but it's exhilarating to partake in Eddie's new successful life. Cooper make him very likable and you root for this guy. And the concept of high powered, successful people getting where they are because of a drug is an intriguing idea. Of course there are plot holes and unnecessary complications but rare is the script that is perfect.