Z/Web

It’s a gimmicky premise — a pill that allows you to use the supposed “full capacity” of your brain (it’s not actually true that we only use a small percentage of our brain, so don’t promote that myth) — but it’s surprisingly well-done. I expected everything to be trite and predictable, but it’s spun out in an interesting and believable fashion as the guy uses his new brain power to take over the financial world. There’s tension, our hero makes mistakes and is flawed, and the ending is good, though it doesn’t exactly explain all the loose ends. I liked the cast and the direction was also good. I can’t think of anything that’s a huge standout — it’s simply a well-crafted thriller. It’s fun and interesting and fairly intelligent, and these days one can’t ask for much more than that.

I’m back! Whew, that felt like a long trip! I drove over 1,000 miles, saw a bunch of cousins and aunts and uncles, had a long conference weekend, and got to sit on a tarmac in Minneapolis/St. Paul while my plane was de-iced so I didn’t arrive into Portland until 1 a.m. this morning. Exhuausting, and I ate way too much delicious Southern food, but worth it.