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LIMITLESSMovie Reviews
Action thriller about an unsuccessful writer who starts taking a new pharmaceutical that allows him to utilize all of his brain capacity, but his amped up persona soon attracts shadowy forces who threaten to derail his new life. Cast:Bradley Cooper, Robert De Niro, Abbie Cornish, Anna Friel, Tomas AranaDirector:Neil BurgerRelease Date:March 18, 2011DVD Release:July 19, 2011From:Relativity MediaRating:PG-13Length:1 hr. 45 min.
Limitless played to good not great reviews. Reviews were mixed. • Michael Phillips wrote in the Chicago Tribune, "Parts are exciting; other parts are familiar or fuzzy-headed... almost all of it works as wish-fulfillment fantasy." • And Andrew O'Hehir wrote for Salon, "...begins as pseudo-realism before descending into weird and mangled wank-job fantasy.... reprehensible but moderately entertaining..." More Reviews Below...
Christy Lemire, Associated Press: VERY GOOD(cg) "Cooper is surprisingly good... You could pick the script apart for impossibilities. But why bother? It's much more enjoyable to shut your brain off and have a good time."(See all of Christy Lemire's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 541 words, 03/18/11
Thelma Adams, Us Weekly: MODERATE(cg) "...the camera work is almost too acrobatic... At one point, it views the hero upside down -- when he's vomiting.It's a wild but wearisome ride."(See all of Thelma Adams's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 196 words, 03/17/11
Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly: EXCELLENT(cg) "...a potently fanciful and fun thriller about a drug that turns you into a genius... just wants to give you a good time, and it does, yet the film leaves you wondering..."(See all of Owen Gleiberman's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 301 words, 03/18/11
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone: VERY GOOD(cg) "...hits you like an adrenaline rush that will have you saying, 'I'll have what he's having'.... a popcorn thriller that really pops."(See all of Peter Travers's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 468 words, 03/18/11
Claudia Puig, USA Today: VERY GOOD(cg) "...surprisingly witty.... Better living through chemistry is a debatable notion satirically explored... briskly paced, suspenseful..."(See all of Claudia Puig's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 453 words, 03/18/11
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...passably entertaining.... not terrifically good, but the premise is intriguing; it doesn't really set out to explore what such a pill might really to do a person."(See all of Roger Ebert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 600 words, 03/18/11
James Berardinelli, Reel Views: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...comes across like a synthesis of 'Wall Street' and a superhero movie on acid. It may not be smart but it's never boring.... It's eye candy with a little jolt of adrenaline..."(See all of James Berardinelli's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 711 words, 03/17/11
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NEW YORK/LOS ANGELES/CHICAGO/TORONTO (13 Reviews)
A.O. Scott, New York Times: GOOD "...the filmmakers seem to have misplaced their supply of coherence pills.... But what it lacks in structural neatness it makes up for in energy and antic, bristling wit..."(See all of A.O. Scott's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,186 words, 03/18/11
Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...a superficial, highly buffed sell... looks great, never lags, and keeps us intrigued throughout. It's not until the high wears off that we realize we've just been had."(See all of Elizabeth Weitzman's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 391 words, 03/18/11
Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times: FAIR "...smart isn't all it's cracked up to be and soon the movie is unraveling faster than all of Eddie's grand schemes... for all of the possibilities, 'Limitless' never gets beyond 'limited.' "(See all of Betsy Sharkey's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 752 words, 03/18/11
Kyle Smith, New York Post: MODERATE(cg) "...may please a few looking for a shallow fantasy thriller, but won't fire up the synapses of the intellectually demanding."(See all of Kyle Smith's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 695 words, 03/18/11
Logan Hill, New York Magazine: WEAK "...timely and satiric -- but also brutally repetitive and poorly written.... Like any cheap high, it's a quick rush followed by a crushing sense of emptiness."(See all of Logan Hill's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 485 words, 03/18/11
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...passably entertaining.... not terrifically good, but the premise is intriguing; it doesn't really set out to explore what such a pill might really to do a person."(See all of Roger Ebert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 600 words, 03/18/11
Nick Schager, Village Voice/LA Weekly: WEAK "Without a complex thought about narcissism, merit, or addiction... an empty, one-note, satire-free fairy tale of avarice and corporate-political ambition..."(See all of Nick Schager's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 609 words, 03/16/11
Peter Howell, Toronto Star: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "The film makes some dumb moves... but overall it's smart entertainment that even manages to make Robert De Niro, Cooper's co-star, sound fully engaged."(See all of Peter Howell's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 596 words, 03/18/11
Rick Groen, Toronto Globe & Mail: OUTSTANDING(cg) "Cooper is asked to carry almost the entire film and shoulders the load beautifully.... a fun Hollywood flick with a good head on its shoulders."(See all of Rick Groen's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 757 words, 03/18/11
Glenn Sumi, Toronto Now: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...takes an intriguing 'What would you do?' sci-fi premise and zigzags to some pretty unexpected places.... Cooper holds his own with charisma, charm..."(See all of Glenn Sumi's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 203 words, 03/17/11
Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...deftly adapted from Alan Glynn's novel 'The Dark Fields' by screenwriter Leslie Dixon and directed with fractal-zoom ingenuity by Neil Burger... it rocks."(See all of Steven Rea's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 647 words, 03/18/11
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...a smart wish-fulfillment fantasy that makes us fret over 'Be careful what you wish you' right up to the moment it stumbles to a finish."(See all of Roger Moore's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 486 words, 03/18/11
Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star-Tribune: MODERATE(cg) "...not a particularly smart or imaginative yarn. Still, it ends on a wry note that toys with movieland conventions of poetic justice."(See all of Colin Covert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 414 words, 03/18/11
Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic: EXCELLENT(cg) "...entertaining and surprisingly effective. Some of its conceits may not hold up under intense scrutiny, but, generally speaking, it's a good time at the movies."(See all of Bill Goodykoontz's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,609 words, 03/18/11
Wesley Morris, Boston Globe: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...you need an actor who seems surprised by how smart he is but not afraid to be charmingly intelligent. Cooper turns out to be perfect for the part."(See all of Wesley Morris's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 892 words, 03/18/11
Amy Biancolli, San Francisco Chronicle: MODERATE(cg) "The tiny bit of sense it makes at the beginning is quickly sacrificed in a conclusion so facile, illogical and cheap that it could use a dose of NZT itself."(See all of Amy Biancolli's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 369 words, 03/18/11
Steve Persall, St. Petersburg Times: EXCELLENT(cg) "...the sort of B-movie Roger Corman would make 50 years ago... 'Inception for Dummies,' which is a good thing... a gimmick flick but a good one..."(See all of Steve Persall's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 522 words, 03/17/11
Tom Long, Detroit News: VERY GOOD(cg) "...at its heart, the film keeps asking: Would you do it? Who could pass it up? Is this the devil in disguise or heaven opening up?"(See all of Tom Long's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 325 words, 03/18/11
Rene Rodriguez, Miami Herald: MODERATE(cg) "...an exceptionally busy movie.... But for all its peripatetic energy, it still winds up with the same-old blazing guns and wanton destruction of property."(See all of Rene Rodriguez's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 433 words, 03/18/11
ALTERNATIVE/INDIE PRESS (9 Reviews)
Nick Schager, Village Voice/LA Weekly: WEAK "Without a complex thought about narcissism, merit, or addiction... an empty, one-note, satire-free fairy tale of avarice and corporate-political ambition..."(See all of Nick Schager's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 609 words, 03/16/11
Brett Michel, Boston Phoenix: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "Eddie will die without a daily dose of the dope that unlocks the unused 80% of his brain... Leslie Dixon tapped less than 20% of hers penning her underdeveloped script."(See all of Brett Michel's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 154 words, 03/24/11
Scott Tobias, AV Club: VERY GOOD(cg) "...seductively exploits the fantasy of greater knowledge, greater perception, and a greater ability to make bank and change the world.... visually snappy..."(See all of Scott Tobias's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 415 words, 03/17/11
Glenn Sumi, Toronto Now: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...takes an intriguing 'What would you do?' sci-fi premise and zigzags to some pretty unexpected places.... Cooper holds his own with charisma, charm..."(See all of Glenn Sumi's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 203 words, 03/17/11
MaryAnn Johanson, Flick Filosopher: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...limited in how entertaining it is because we can see everything coming, as if we're already on that magic pill ourselves."(See all of MaryAnn Johanson's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 629 words, 03/17/11
HIGHBROW PRESS (4 Reviews)
A.O. Scott, New York Times: GOOD "...the filmmakers seem to have misplaced their supply of coherence pills.... But what it lacks in structural neatness it makes up for in energy and antic, bristling wit..."(See all of A.O. Scott's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,186 words, 03/18/11
Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times: FAIR "...smart isn't all it's cracked up to be and soon the movie is unraveling faster than all of Eddie's grand schemes... for all of the possibilities, 'Limitless' never gets beyond 'limited.' "(See all of Betsy Sharkey's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 752 words, 03/18/11
Robert Koehler, Daily Variety: VERY GOOD "...propulsive, unexpectedly funny... Cooper shows off his range in a film he dominates from start to finish. The result is classic Hollywood star magnetism..."(See all of Robert Koehler's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 966 words, 03/14/11
Kirk Honeycutt, Hollywood Reporter: MODERATE "...should be so much smarter than it is... The protagonist is well played by Bradley Cooper... Alas, the filmmakers don't use him very smartly."(See all of Kirk Honeycutt's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,140 words, 03/15/11
Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times: FAIR "...smart isn't all it's cracked up to be and soon the movie is unraveling faster than all of Eddie's grand schemes... for all of the possibilities, 'Limitless' never gets beyond 'limited.' "(See all of Betsy Sharkey's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 752 words, 03/18/11
Patrick Z. McGavin, Cinema 24/7: VERY GOOD(cg) "Neil Burger is a very nimble and adept director... an entertainingly shrewd and often preposterously canny portrait of the here and now."(See all of Patrick Z. McGavin's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,049 words, 03/15/11
A.O. Scott, New York Times: GOOD "...the filmmakers seem to have misplaced their supply of coherence pills.... But what it lacks in structural neatness it makes up for in energy and antic, bristling wit..."(See all of A.O. Scott's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,186 words, 03/18/11
19.1 Percentage Points Average Difference Between Reviews (Norm is 18.4pp; <18.4pp = More Consistent; >18.4pp = More Mixed)
Limitless's reviews are separated by an average 19.1 percentage points. The norm for this measure is 18.4 percentage points. Less than 18.4 indicates more consistent reviews; greater than 18.4 indicates more mixed reviews. In the chart below, each dot represents a review, with the dots at the top more positive than the dots at the bottom. From left to right, the dots represent reviews in big, bigger and biggest publications. Roll over each dot for more detail.
Limitless (45 reviews) Roll over dots for each review
Coverage:Limitless's reviews cover 91.2% of potential readers (average is 67.9%). Volume:The film's reviews total 27,149 words involume (average is 20,172 words). Length:The film's reviews average 603 words in length (the norm is 517 words).
Reviews Broke 11.4 Hours Before Release (Norm is 1.2 Release)
Limitless's reviews on average broke 11.4 hours before opening. Norm for this measure is 1.2 hours before. The chart below shows reviews on opening day and the days before and after opening; the left side is earlier and the right side is later. The red bars extending above the horizontal mid-line represent more positive reviews, and the red bars extending below represent more negative reviews. The white space/red bar in the middle is Limitless's opening day. Click on any bar for a list of the reviews for that day.
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