get laid – even though, moments earlier, he was distressed by his girlfriend dumping him. During the second act, while Eddie is riding a peak of NZT use and experiencing black-outs, he takes an unnamed blonde woman to a hotel room, in which she is later found murdered. While he is initially rattled by the fact that he cannot remember whether or not he murdered her, the crime is only mentioned once more in the movie.

Like his quick rebound with his Landlady, this throwaway murder of a woman is intended to highlight the fact that NZT is all about forward motion – just as the camerawork used throughout is intended to highlight the same thing. There is no time for reflection or memories – Eddie can only progress onto the next thing and, in the case of men gaining power and influence, those next...

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