If you could take a pill that unlocked 100% of your brainpower, would you risk it? That’s the electrifying question at the heart of Limitless (2011), Neil Burger’s sci-fi thriller that transformed Bradley Cooper from rising star into a household name. More than a decade later, the film feels even sharper — a stylish mix of financial thriller, morality tale, and adrenaline-charged ride that anticipated today’s obsession with nootropics, productivity hacks, and “biohacking” culture.

This week’s Friday Night Movies pick isn’t just a rewatch — it’s a reminder of how Limitless tapped into a cultural nerve before the world caught up.

Quick Facts

• Release date: March 2011

• Director: Neil Burger (The Illusionist)

• Based on: The Dark Fields by Alan Glynn

• Cast: Bradley Cooper, Robert De Niro, Abbie Cornish

Unlocking the Premise

At its core, Limitless is built on a simple but addictive hook: what if a pill could give you access to your brain’s full potential?

For struggling writer Eddie Morra, that miracle drug is NZT-48. Within hours, he shifts from broke and blocked to hyper-intelligent — mastering languages, dazzling on Wall Street, and climbing New York’s social ladder at breakneck speed. But the fantasy comes with a cost. The higher Eddie rises, the darker the consequences. Addiction, paranoia, and ruthless enemies close in, turning his gift into a curse.

Trailer

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