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‘Limitless’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Shea Serrano

January 4, 2022 · Limitless (2011) · Sci-Fi · Thriller · 1:22:30

IMDb ↗Letterboxd ↗

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Most Rewatchable Scene

Bill Simmons▶ 30:12The NZT montage (runner-up), subway fight scene, and Abby Cornish chased in the park scene

What's Aged the Best

Bill Simmons▶ 46:02Mentions 'the last What's Aged the Best' but cut off before stating their pick

What's Aged the Worst

Bill Simmons▶ 49:01De Niro's performance - feels like he's on autopilot and didn't realize how good the movie would be
Bill Simmons▶ 51:27The PG-13 rating - should have been rated R for more violence and sex
Chris Ryan▶ 50:11Disagrees about De Niro - thinks he brings gravity to the role and it's not in top 20 De Niro performances but works
Shea Serrano▶ 52:01Disagrees about PG-13 rating - likes it exactly as is so kids can walk through room without changing channel

Casting What-Ifs

Bill Simmons▶ 58:42Shia LaBeouf — Shia LaBeouf was initially signed for Limitless in 2008 but had to drop out. Thinks the movie wouldn't work with LaBeouf.
Chris Ryan▶ 58:47Shia LaBeouf — Provided context about the timeframe when LaBeouf was getting good parts around Disturbia and Eagle Eye.
Shea Serrano▶ 58:34Will Smith — Guessed Will Smith would have been good for the role. Agrees LaBeouf wouldn't work because his face is too kiddish.

Joey Pants Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:00:10Andrew Howard — Gennady (Andrew Howard)
Chris Ryan▶ 1:00:15Andrew Howard — Praised Andrew Howard's work as Gennady and highlighted his performance in Mayor of Kingstown

Half-Assed Internet Research

Bill Simmons▶ 1:03:26The visual effects for the Wonder Drug scenes use fractal zooming jump cutting and motion control photography, particularly in the apartment cleaning scene with multiple versions of the character

Apex Mountain

Bill Simmons▶ 1:03:52Bradley Cooper — Bradley Cooper - American Sniper, not Limitless. For Abby Cornish - yes, this is her Apex Mountain when she was with Ryan Philippe and having a moment before Brie Larson corrected her. For Little Kid Ice Skate Attacks - yes, this peaks her in a movie.
Chris Ryan▶ 1:04:17Discusses the broader context of mid-tier action movies and how this type of film represents a peak for the genre/format, but doesn't give specific Apex Mountain picks for individuals
Shea Serrano▶ 1:07:22The Good Son — For skating rink attempted murders - The Good Son over Limitless

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Bill Simmons▶ 1:17:35Tom Cruise from 1992-93 era (The Firm) for Limitless; oven is underrated as hiding spot for drugs/money/guns
Chris Ryan▶ 1:17:44Tom Cruise for Limitless, also suggests Michael J. Fox; air conditioner vent for hiding drugs (like No Country for Old Men)
Shea Serrano▶ 1:17:00Will Smith from 2004 (post-Bad Boys 2) for Limitless; oven is ideal spot for hiding drugs due to thickness of bag

Who Won the Movie

Bill Simmons▶ 1:22:14Bradley Cooper

Movies Referenced (42)

Fight Club (1999)

5 mentions · Chris Ryan▶ 5:02IMDb ↗Lb ↗

The Hangover (2009)

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Shea Serrano▶ 5:58IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Shooter (2007)

4 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 16:40IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Triple Frontier (2019)

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 1:05:49IMDb ↗Lb ↗

American Sniper (2014)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 22:28IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Bad Boys (1995)

3 mentions · Shea Serrano, Chris Ryan▶ 1:18:59IMDb ↗Lb ↗

How Do You Know (2010)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 39:09IMDb ↗Lb ↗

The Good Son (1993)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 1:07:20IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Heat (1995)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 5:38IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Pretty Woman (1990)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 6:22IMDb ↗Lb ↗

The A-Team (2010)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Shea Serrano▶ 6:48IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Wall Street (1987)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Shea Serrano▶ 18:18IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Directors Referenced (1)

Peter Berg

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The Last Seduction, Very Bad Things▶ 1:05:41IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Actors Referenced (35)

Bradley Cooper

50 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons, Shea Serrano · Known for A Star Is Born, Silver Linings Playbook, American Sniper▶ 5:58IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Eddie Moore

29 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Shea Serrano · Known for Blast from the Past▶ 2:14IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Robert De Niro

22 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Shea Serrano · Known for Cape Fear, Raging Bull, Taxi Driver▶ 15:37IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Will Smith

11 mentions · Bill Simmons, Shea Serrano · Known for Men in Black, I Am Legend▶ 58:34IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Keanu Reeves

9 mentions · Bill Simmons, Shea Serrano · Known for The Matrix, Speed, Point Break▶ 7:01IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Frank Grillo

6 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The Grey▶ 1:05:03IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Mark Wahlberg

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Shea Serrano, Chris Ryan · Known for The Fighter, Boogie Nights, The Departed▶ 16:14IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Andrew Howard

4 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Limitless, I Spit on Your Grave▶ 1:00:14IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jeremy Renner

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Shea Serrano · Known for The Hurt Locker, The Town, Wind River▶ 34:23IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Johnny Whitworth

4 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for Limitless, Empire Records▶ 28:05IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Shia LaBeouf

4 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Fury▶ 58:41IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Al Pacino

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Dog Day Afternoon, The Godfather▶ 15:37IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Writers Referenced (4)

Roger Ebert

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 23:01IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Alan Glynn

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Limitless▶ 21:30IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Leslie Dixon

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Limitless, Freaky Friday▶ 21:35IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Taylor Sheridan

1 mentions · Shea Serrano · Known for Hell or High Water, Wind River▶ 1:00:38IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Cinematographers Referenced (2)

Michael Grantland

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Shea Serrano · Known for The Other Guys▶ 11:24IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Gordon Willis

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The Godfather Part II▶ 43:55IMDb ↗Lb ↗