Bradley Cooper has entered Superstardom

Rating: Null/10 (20 August 2011)

Neil Burger, mostly known for directing the underrated The Illusionist, has crafted an excellent suspense thriller in Limitless. Burger's perfect pacing sets the stage as the movie starts off strong and only improves as the story unfolds. Burger's casting and direction are without a doubt a strong point in the film, and he should be commended for putting together a fantastic production. The movie's screenplay was adapted by Leslie Dixon from a novel of the same name written by Alan Glynn. I've never read the book, but if history proves anything, than I expect it to be really good. Typically, books are superior to their movie counterparts, and in this case the book has a lot to live up to.
Bradley Cooper, the film's lead, has come a long way since J.J. Abrams' spy centric T.V. show Alias, my first experience seeing him on any screen. In Limitless, Cooper shines as Eddie Morra, providing the best performance of his blossoming career. The transformation Cooper's Eddie makes from being a good for nothing aspiring writer into a prominent Wall Street tycoon is captivating to watch. It was like watching Cooper's career on the screen; starting out as a working actor and now soaring into super stardom. The legendary Robert De Niro, much like his character, assists Cooper in helping him take the leap. De Niro, although in a supporting capacity, provides a calming presence and provides the balance needed. Additional strong performances are provided by a relative unknown, but very talented supporting cast: Andrew Howard, Abbie Cornish, Johnny Whitworth and Anna Friel.
I honestly didn't know what to expect when I started watching Limitless. I remember the trailers from when the film played in theaters, but never had much interest is viewing it. Once the movie started, my interest was maintained from the beginning through its completion. Every so often a movie comes along out of the blue that just works on every level. It's not over acted, it's not drowned out by loud explosions, and it's not over done with special effects or laden with CGI; the movie is just plain good. Limitless was that movie! Although a minor hit while in the theaters, Limitless should have a long shelf life on DVD and Blu-Ray.
Grade – A
Visit our site at www.twodudereview.com