A failed writer is given an experimental drug that boosts the brain to limitless capacities. Unfortunately, the drug is addictive and is lust for by several other people, their dependance forcing them to do anything they can to have a daily dose.
Eddie Morra (Bradley Cooper) is a dreamer (some would say a slacker) who spends his days in his flat in search of inspiration. In the meantime, he is left by his girlfriend (Abbie Cornish) — tired to pay the bills –, told off by his publisher who wants a manuscript and harassed by his landlord (“Where is my rent?!“).
In a way, he’s better drinking pints in a bar rather than thinking too much about his life…
A habit that’ll lead Eddie to meet one of his exes’ brother who decides to give him an experimental drug.
Eddie accepts to try it… and finds out that the drug really works. There starts the problems, from dependance to violent money loaners as well as a bunch of people who are ready to kill for a pill.
The plot is full of twists that aren’t that obvious and entertains quite well till the last scene of the movie. No doubt the spectator will benefit from his ticket.
As well as showing a smiley Cooper able to predict the variations of the financial market because of his IQ, the movie also shows the problems drugs can lead to: they are addictive. The magic pill, if not taken, gives headaches that eventually kill the junky. Better think twice before being Einstein.
It also shows how far we could go when we’re addicted: killing, even drinking a victim’s blood in order to survive. Nasty behavior…
However, to me, there’s something more problematic there.
We live in a society that wishes to have everything at any time and without waiting. Even knowledge.
Who has never felt the wish to know something without putting the effort into it? We’d prefer hit the book on our head to acquire what it contains than reading and learning it. Even the Internet goes towards that idea, we can’t even wait a second for a web page to open — Google search: 10million results in 0.09sec.
So the fact that a drug is created to boost the brain isn’t so crazy.
Fortunately, the movie shows another interesting point. There’s a moment in it when Cooper is talking to De Niro that shows how much experience is needed.
Very high intelligence — artificially given or not — doesn’t replace experience; give a 10-year old an encyclopedia, that won’t teach him how it feels when burnt by a flame.
At least, we still need older and wiser people to show us some tricks in life.
Photo courtesy of Green Tea Movie.
Image courtesy of Bill Watterson.
Posted on April 1, 2011
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