Limitless

This week there really did not seem to be a big 'BLOCKBUSTER'-type movie on the new release schedule.  Not wanting to think for myself, I held an informal survey on facebook to see which movie people thought was more blatantly Hollywood:  Limitless or The Lincoln Lawyer.  How to decide?  They both have such improbable plots!  In one, we are expected to believe that Matthew MacConaughey can keep his shirt on for an entire movie, while in the other we are expected to believe that Bradley Cooper can out think us all.  Fortunately for me, the winner was the one with Robert De Niro in it. 
*drumroll*
*silence*
Anyways, on to the review. 
First, let's get this out of the way:  I have nothing against Bradley Cooper.  I am completely neutral towards him, and he turns up in a surprisingly large number of movies that I enjoy. 
Now then.....Bradley Cooper seems to be the best cinematic douchebag Hollywood has to offer.  He has that permanent smirk that makes you waver between wanting to hang out with him in the hopes that one day he'll be your wingman and help you hook up with a girl waaaaay out of our league, or punching him right in that smirking, douche-y face.
Limitless was seemingly written for Bradley Cooper.  In the beginning, he starts off as a go-nowhere douchebag who isn't even sure why he has ever had a friend or date.  After being introduced to a wonderful drug that opens up 100% of the human brain, he becomes an arrogant, popular, awesome douchebag.  (Yes, I really like the word douchebag.)  He is never challenged from an acting standpoint.  He either smiles in confusion or overconfidence.  Again, not to knock on the man, I am just so amazed that this is actually his strong point.
Then there is De Niro.  It truly felt that he was paid to just be De Niro for 15 minutes of screen time.  "Hello, Mr. De Niro?  Can I call you Robert?  No?  Well then, how would you like to just be yourself for 15 minutes while we pretend you're a rich businessman?  Yeah, you can glower and threaten a bit too if that's what you want.  You'll do it?  Awesome!  Now I can pay my mortgage!"
Despite a such a perfectly cast ensemble, Limitless is never quite sure what sort of movie it wants to be.  At some points, it is strictly a thoughtless action flick with a good premise.  At other times, it becomes a commentary on the human condition.  There were even a few times where I was genuinely rooting for the movie to go darker and explore the really depressing themes.  Unfortunately, like every good tease, Limitless always pulls back from the brink and instead does something disappointingly predictable.

 All in all, this is not a bad flick.  If you go in with no expectations, you will be pleasantly surprised.  I would not recommend you watch this movie in a theater if you get motion sick, however.  Both the introduction and a mid-point offer a very dizzying take on forward motion and it could lead to some serious nausea.  Otherwise, it offers a half-decent take on the whole 'What if we could utilize all of our potential?' idea, and does so on an entertainingly small scale.  Just be sure to prepare yourself for 8 previews before the movie if you're lucky enough to watch it on Cinemark screens, and steel yourself for two hours of Bradley Cooper's smug, douche-y grin.