Limitless (2011)

A pretty good ride, this thriller about Eddie, a blocked writer who discovers that experimental pills turn him into a brilliant achiever has some holes but what did you expect? Shakespeare? Starring Bradley Cooper (The Hangover, more) as Eddie, Abbie Cornish (Bright Star, others) as his girlfriend Lindy, and Robert De Niro (after I wrote about him in Everybody's Fine, he was in Stone and Little Fockers, and he has 7 projects in the works) as a financier who stands to profit from Eddie's abilities, this was adapted by Leslie Dixon (known mostly for her adaptations: Mrs. Doubtfire (1993), Pay It Forward (2000), and Hairspray (2007)) from the 2001 novel The Dark Fields (soon to be re-released and re-titled Limitless) by Alan Glynn, and directed by Neil Burger (the only other of his movies I've seen is The Illusionist (2006), the one with Ed Norton, Jessica Biel, and Paul Giamatti, and it's very good). It certainly made me think a lot about Phenomenon (1996) and the current series No Ordinary Family (and Roger Ebert thought about Charly (1968)). Rottentomatoes' average is barely fresh, with 66% from critics and 75% from audiences. The special effects and makeup are good, with one gorgeous actress (I won't reveal who, as it's a spoiler) made to look puffy and wasted, and the use of color is effective as well.

Lots of songs supplement the original music by Paul Leonard-Morgan and Nico Muhly (Muhly's name has been removed from imdb for this picture). I had to move back several rows and squirt essence of ginger in my mouth because the zooming camera moves were starting to make me sick. This goes on the list for Motion picture motion sickness. For people who love Cooper this is a must see. For the rest of us, it's not a waste of time, but there may be more entertaining choices to be had.