NMR: Limitless

Apparently, the title of the film isn't exactly true since its limits get exposed by failing to come up with a satisfactory conclusion to the film's intriguing premise. The movie stars Bradley Cooper as a struggling writter who runs into an ex-brother-in-law who offers him a mysterious drug that allows him to unlock the full potential of his brain power. The drug works and soon he's not only able to write books, but conquer the world of high finance. All of this works and instantly hooks you. However, once he's on top the film devolves into a standard drug movie with corruption, violence, and lies. Robert De Niro plays a financial bigwig who tries to do business with Cooper's character. Like the film's plot, his character is interesting but not fleshed out enough and thus ultimately disappointing. I also felt the director tried a little too hard with the visual imagery he included, particularly during the scenes where anyone is using the drug. For a rental, this is a worth a recommendation as the film feels fresh for at least the first half. The second isn't terrible, just disappointing because of the failure to do more with the set-up. Rating: *** 1/2