D.J. Haza presents the next entry in his series of films to watch before you die…
Trainspotting, 1996.
Directed by Danny Boyle.
Starring Ewan McGregor, Jonny Lee Miller, Ewen Bremner, Robert Carlyle, Kevin McKidd and Kelly Macdonald.
Danny Boyle’s stylish and charismatic film adapted from the Irvine Welsh novel of the same name tells the story of a group of heroin addicted friends from an impoverish area of Edinburgh as their lives unfold.
Renton (McGregor), Spud (Bremner), Sick Boy (Miller), Tommy (McKidd) and Begbie (Carlyle) are the friends whose lives are under the microscope as each of them heads down a dark and destructive path of drugs and crime. The story’s main character Renton decides on quitting drugs and after one final hit he locks himself away from the world as he’s gripped by the horrors of withdrawal.
Once finally out the other side he finds his sex drive has returned and during a night out clubbing he pulls Diane (Macdonald), but it’s only when he wakes in the morning he realises she is a 15-year-old schoolgirl living with her parents. Horrified by this discovery he tries to forget about it all, but still remains friends with her.
As Renton lives a clean and sober lifestyle he becomes bored with his life and attempts to find a way out by moving to London and taking on a job. However, his friends catch up with him and trouble isn’t far behind. When they all return to Edinburgh for the funeral of Tommy they manage to come together and pull off a very profitable drug deal. As the celebrate their success they all crash at a hotel, but whilst they sleep Renton has plans of his own and makes off with the cash promising us he’s going to live a different life.
Trainspotting is a film you must see before you die as it’s a rip roaring journey to the depths of drugs abuse and the darkness of the story is illuminated by Boyle’s visionary directing and a killer sound track. The film also offers one of the all time great film monologues as Renton discusses choosing life.
D.J. Haza
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Originally published February 2, 2012. Updated April 10, 2018.
