Limitless
An ambitious New York writer uses a cognition-enhancing drug to conquer the financial world while evading the dangerous forces that want its secret.
Overview
A mind-altering journey where one man's quest for greatness leads to deadly consequences.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Moderate
- propulsive
- witty
- paranoid
- late night thriller viewing
- action movie night
What critics said
Critics found the premise intriguing and the film visually inventive and entertaining, while viewing its conventional, uneven script as less intelligent than its concept.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Eddie's transformation is directly caused by the experimental NZT drug, making nootropic enhancement the film's central speculative idea.
The film uses zooms, fish-eye imagery, shifting visual clarity, and energetic montage to convey Eddie's NZT-fueled mental state.
Eddie's rise from failed writer to financial operator brings him into Carl Van Loon's world while intensifying his dependence and exposure to violence.
The story moves through New York's financial and criminal networks as Eddie is watched, threatened, and recruited by powerful interests.
Films like Limitless, and why
Lucy
shares a high-concept enhancement premise, kinetic visual style, paranoia thriller tension, and morally compromised protagonist
The Bourne Identity
shares a mind-expanding drug premise, urban criminal pressure, propulsive pacing, and darkly entertaining tone
The Game
shares a slick contemporary thriller atmosphere, escalating conspiracy, and protagonist pursued by powerful forces
Upgrade
shares speculative human enhancement, corporate ambition, and a visually inventive science fiction thriller structure
Movie Details
- Director
- Neil Burger
- Release Date
- 2011-03-17
- Runtime
- 106 min
- Rating
- 7.2 / 10 (11778)
Cast
- Bradley Cooper
- Robert De Niro
- Abbie Cornish
- Andrew Howard
- Anna Friel
- Johnny Whitworth
- Tomas Arana
- Robert John Burke
- Darren Goldstein
- Ned Eisenberg
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Shout! Factory Amazon Channel
- Rent
- JustWatch TV, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Limitless about?
- An ambitious New York writer uses a cognition-enhancing drug to conquer the financial world while evading the dangerous forces that want its secret.
- What is Limitless like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Limitless as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Limitless violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Limitless as moderate.
- What did critics think of Limitless?
- Critics found the premise intriguing and the film visually inventive and entertaining, while viewing its conventional, uneven script as less intelligent than its concept.
- Which films are like Limitless?
- Films with a similar feel include Lucy, The Bourne Identity, The Game, and Upgrade.
- How long is Limitless?
- Limitless runs 106 minutes.
- Where can I watch Limitless?
- In United States, Limitless streams on Shout! Factory Amazon Channel.
