Can one small pill change your life? That is the question that Limitless sets out to answer. Bradley Cooper takes on the role of a down-and-out author Eddie Morra who obtains the pill called NZT that allows him to access 100% of his brain turning him into an overnight genius and Wall Street success story. But soon he realizes that his new powers are putting him at risk as he races around New York City followed by a group of gangsters.

While the film is filled with plot twists and a stellar supporting cast including Robert De Niro as the mogul Carl Van Loon and Abbie Cornish as Eddie’s on-and-off girlfriend, the story falls short of becoming an unforgettable thriller for audiences. It is fun to imagine life with a drug like NTZ and how it would affect you. However, the filmmakers ensure audiences are constantly reminded that this is not possible and that everything good (NTZ) comes with the bad (violent gangsters).  Therefore, audiences are never really let into Eddie’s world and become observers rather than participants in the story.

In addition, the filmmakers create a series of dizzying visual effects including letters falling from the ceiling and racing through New York City at lightening speed in an attempt to show the effects of NZT and make audiences feel like they are a part of the story. Ultimately, this technique proved unsuccessful and pushed the story further outside the realm of possibility.

One of the film’s most redeeming aspects is Bradley Cooper’s portrayal of Eddie. Cooper, who also executive produced the film, brings unexpected dimension to his character. He plays Eddie with a blend of wit and dread. It is clear that Cooper is becoming one of Hollywood’s most charming leading man.

With its premise, Limitless had the potential of being a complex psychological thriller but instead it lost the connection with audiences before the ride was over.