Limitless

Part fantasy fulfillment, part paranoid thriller, this cautionary sci-fi tale—based on Alan Glynn's The Dark Fields—revolves around an author with paralyzing writer's block. As the story begins, Eddie Morra (Bradley Cooper) is on the ledge of a Manhattan building, contemplating suicide. A flashback reveals the chain of events that led him to this point: living in a seedy walk-up, unable to begin his long-overdue novel, and newly dumped by his girlfriend (Abbie Cornish), Eddie has a chance meeting with the brother (Johnny Whitworth) of his ex-wife (Anna Friel), who turns Eddie on to the black-market NZT, a brain-enhancing pharmaceutical miracle drug. In a drug-induced frenzy of clarity and perception, Eddie not only writes his book but also makes some lucrative investments, borrowing seed money from a Russian loan shark (Andrew Howard) and quickly attracting the attention of a Wall Street high-roller (Robert De Niro). But Eddie is addicted, and when his dealer is murdered, he's determined to avoid the same fate. Director Neil Burger elicits sympathy for the pill-popping protagonist (the tale is loosely based on admonitory stories about writers and others becoming addicted to the drug Adderall for similar reasons), but what makes Limitless tick is Cooper's charisma in this engaging riff on the Faustian bargain theme. Recommended. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include audio commentary by director Neil Burger, a “making-of” featurette (12 min.), an alternate ending (5 min.), “A Man Without Limits” production featurette (5 min.), and trailers. Exclusive to the Blu-ray release is a bonus digital copy of the film. Bottom line: a solid extras package for an engaging film.] (S. Granger)