History Film / Limitless

** After Eddie delivers the first partial draft of his book to his literary agent, he returns home to his apartment, where you can clearly see the metal tin [[spoiler:he uses to store most of the NZT stash liberated from Verne's apartment]] sitting in the foreground

* DeusExMachina: The primary villain of the entire movie, [[spoiler: Atwood's henchman]], literally just hands Eddie back his [[spoiler: stolen NZT stash]] at the end because it got stolen ''again offscreen'' by someone else and Eddie helps him track that person down. Which also happens ''offscreen'' in less than ''5'' seconds. That's how the primary plotline of the movie gets resolved.

* DeusExMachina: The primary villain of the entire movie, [[spoiler: Atwood's henchman]], literally just hands Eddie back his [[spoiler: stolen NZT stash]] at the end because it got stolen ''again offscreen'' by someone else and Eddie helps him track that person down. Again offscreen in less than ''5'' seconds. That's how the primary plotline of the movie gets resolved.

* DeusExMachina: The primary villain of the entire movie, [[spoiler: Atwood's henchman]], literally just hands Eddie back his [[spoiler: stolen NZT stash]] at the end because it got stolen ''again offscreen'' by someone else and Eddie helps him track that person down. Again offscreen in less than ''5'' seconds. That's how the primary plot thread of the movie is resolved.

* DeusExMachina: The primary villain of the entire movie, [[spoiler: Atwood's henchman]], literally just hands Eddie back his [[spoiler: stolen NZT stash]] at the end because it got stolen ''again offscreen'' by someone else and Eddie helps him track that person down.

* DeusExMachina: The primary villain of the entire movie, [[spoiler: Atwood's henchman]], literally hands Eddie back his [[spoiler: stolen NZT stash]] because it got stolen ''again offscreen'' by someone else and he needs Eddie's help tracking that person down.

* DeusExMachina: The primary villain of the entire movie, [[spoiler: Atwood's henchman]], literally hands Eddie back his [[spoiler: stolen NZT stash]] because someone else (a one-note character) ''also'' steals it from him and Eddie helps him track him down.

* DeusExMachina: The primary villain of the entire movie, [[spoiler: Atwood's henchman]], literally just gives up at the end once his boss dies and hands Eddie back his [[spoiler: stolen NZT stash]] out of the kindness of his heart, thus solving absolutely all of the movie's conflicts.

* DeusExMachina: The primary villain of the entire movie, [[spoiler: Atwood's henchman]], literally just gives up at the end once his boss dies and hands Eddie back his [[spoiler: stolen NZT stash, thus solving absolutely all of the movie's conflicts.]]

* ChekhovGun:

* BondVillainStupidity: Despite coming up against someone he knows has NZT and being on NZT himself, [[spoiler: the Russian]] makes the absolutely stunning mistake of not tying Eddie down or even checking him for weapons before torturing him. As if that isn't dumb enough, he even allows his goons to loudly crack a safe while doing it, ensuring that Eddie can kill him without them immediately noticing. One has to wonder if the Russian actually has some kind of mental disability before taking the drug, which only succeeds in making make him slightly above average after.

* BondVillainStupidity: Despite coming up against someone he knows has NZT and being on NZT himself, [[spoiler: the Russian]] makes the absolutely stunning mistake of not tying Eddie down or even checking him for weapons before torturing him. As if that isn't dumb enough, he even allows his goons to loudly crack a safe while doing it, ensuring that Eddie can kill him without them immediately noticing. One has to wonder if the Russian actually has some kind of mental disability before taking the drug, which only succeeds in making make him barely above average after.

* BondVillainStupidity: Despite coming up against someone he knows has NZT and being on NZT himself, the Russian makes the absolutely stunning mistake of not tying Eddie down or even checking him for weapons before torturing him. As if that isn't dumb enough, he even allows his goons to loudly crack a safe while doing it, ensuring that Eddie can kill him with them none the wiser. One has to wonder if the Russian actually has some kind of mental disability before taking the drug, which only succeeds in making make him barely above average after.

* BondVillainStupidity: Despite coming up against someone he knows has NZT and being on NZT himself, the Russian makes the absolutely stunning mistake of not tying Eddie down or even checking him for weapons before he starts torturing him. Moreover, he even allows his goons to loudly crack a safe while doing it, ensuring that Eddie can kill him with them immediately knowing. One has to wonder if the Russian is so stupid before taking the drug that he's still stupid after.

[[quoteright:220:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/220px-Limitless_Poster_4395.jpg]]

[[MostWritersAreWriters Aspiring author]] Eddie Morra (Cooper) is suffering from chronic writer's block, but his life changes instantly when an old friend introduces him to NZT, a revolutionary new pharmaceutical that allows him to tap his full potential. With every synapse crackling, Eddie can recall everything he has ever read, seen or heard, learn any language in a day, comprehend complex equations and beguile anyone he meets as long as he keeps taking the untested drug. Soon Eddie takes Wall Street by storm, parlaying a small stake into millions. His accomplishments catch the eye of mega-mogul Carl Van Loon (De Niro),who invites him to help broker the largest merger in corporate history. But they also bring Eddie to the attention of people willing to do anything to get their hands on his stash of NZT. With his life in jeopardy and the drug's brutal side effects grinding him down, Eddie dodges mysterious stalkers, a vicious gangster and an intense police investigation as he attempts to hang on to his dwindling supply long enough to outwit his enemies.

In 2015 the story received a SequelSeries of the same name, airing on CBS. Cooper reprised his role as Eddie in the pilot and some future episodes, but the series focuses on new characters Brian Finch and FBI agent Rebecca Harris. Tropes for the series go [[Series/{{Limitless}} here]]. The character sheet for both the movie and the show is [[Characters/{{Limitless}} here]].

In 2015 the story received a SequelSeries of the same name, airing on CBS. Cooper reprises his role as Eddie in the pilot and some future episodes, but the series focuses on new characters Brian Finch and FBI agent Rebecca Harris. Tropes for the series go [[Series/{{Limitless}} here]]. The character sheet for both the movie and the show is [[Characters/{{Limitless}} here]].

In 2015 the story received a SequelSeries of the same name, airing on CBS. Cooper reprises his role as Eddie in the pilot and possibly future episodes, but the series focuses on new characters Brian Finch and FBI agent Rebecca Harris. Tropes for the series go [[Series/{{Limitless}} here]]. The character sheet for both the movie and the show is [[Characters/{{Limitless}} here]].

In 2015 the story received a SequelSeries of the same name, airing on CBS. Cooper reprises his role as Eddie in the pilot and possibly future episodes, but the series focuses on new characters Brian Finch and FBI agent Rebecca Harris. Tropes for the series go [[Series/{{Limitless}} here]]. The character sheet for both the movie and the show is [[Characters/{{Limitless}} here]], and NeedsWikiMagicLove.

--->'''Eddie:''' ''[to his two [[SharpDressedMan Sharp Dressed Bodyguards]]]'' Oh, and please, don’t use the same suit. This is not TheMatrix.

--> "Thursday I need 20 pills."
--> "Thursday you can go FUCK YOURSELF!"

-->'''Eddie''', to his two [[SharpDressedMan Sharp Dressed Bodyguards]]: '''Oh, and please, don’t use the same suit. This is not TheMatrix.''

** After he takes NZT and before he decides to get rich, Eddie has a conversation about the rise and fall of the Portugese Empire: How some guys that nobody expected capable of anything take over the world for a few centuries, and as suddenly as they took charge, all his accomplishments vanish into nothing. As he puts it, "it's human nature to over-reach"

* NinetyPercentOfYourBrain: Eddie's initial dealer outright says that "you only use 20% of your brain." Possible case of UnreliableNarrator since [[spoiler:the dealer's pitch about it being FDC certified was BS.]]