Trainspotting (1996) — Read Along
“We called him Mother Superior on account of the length of his habit”
I’ve probably used the term “zeitgeist” below far too many times to be admitted to within polite society, but we’re not in polite society anymore with these thieves and vagabonds and whilst one of them “knows a lot about Sean Connery!” another is deeply in love and the remaining three either love, loathe or are apathetic to being Scottish or their plight at the tip of the British Isles, “Trainspotting” really was a film of its time for me, my time, and the supposed hope and political change of the late 1990’s that magically vanished with the swipe of a spin doctor’s bloodied hands.
“Trainspotting” was a film that captured the time and the mood of the UK of the mid-1990’s, its opening should be cast in cinematic stone and revered for the generations that follow and Danny Boyle celebrated for his greatest cinematic achievement of his career. Danny’s first dozen films are all catalogued, spoiler free, in the opus blog article below that also contains an updated version of my review of his “Trainspotting” sequel two decades in the making, and a film I originally didn’t like until I re-watched and the realisation dawned upon by me that these characters had grown up or at least like me, grown older and, rather delightfully, an unsung hero had grown wiser.
I ADORE this film. You may get that distinct impression as you read on!
Should you wish you may also consider joining in with the ethos of my “Read Along” concept, whereby you couple my Youtube or Rumble channel reading of my review together with my written review (the original is also linked below with original images too) and for more spoiler free film fare I’ve also linked volume 7 of my “Essential Film Reviews Collection” with each and every volume FREE to read if you have an Amazon Kindle “Unlimited” package.
“Choose your future”.
“Choose Life”.
"Trainspotting" (1996) - original article
"Danny Boyle - 12 Cinematic Gems" - original article
"The Essential Film Reviews Collection Vol.7" - available via Amazon
"Trainspotting" (1996) - Youtube
"Trainspotting" (1996) - Rumble
If you haven’t seen Danny Boyle’s seminal and magnificent portrayal of heroin addiction in Edinburgh, just read the following monologue in awe and wonder at one of the greatest beginnings to a film of all time. Feel free to read the said monologue in a Scottish accent but this isn’t a prerequisite but I’d definitely consider humming Iggy Pop’s “Lust for Life” whilst you do so.
Oh, and please don’t roll your eyes at me for the uncouth words you are about to read. These words belong to Irvine Welsh, upon whose book the film was adapted and which similarly entered into the 1990’s Zeitgeist, along with this stunning film.
“Choose life. Choose a job. Choose a career. Choose a family. Choose a fucking big television. Choose washing machines, cars, compact disc players & electrical tin openers”.
“Choose good health, low cholesterol and dental insurance. Choose fixed interest mortgage repayments. Choose a starter home. Choose your friends. Choose leisurewear and matching luggage”.
“Choose a three-piece suite on hire purchase in a range of fucking fabrics”.
“Choose DIY and wondering who the fuck you are on a Sunday morning”.
“Choose sitting on a couch watching spirit crushing game shows stuffing fucking junk food into your mouth”.
“Choose rotting away at the end of it, pissing your last in a miserable home….”
“…..nothing more than an embarrassment to the selfish brats you spawned to replace yourself”.
“Choose your future”.
“Choose Life”.
Those of you hardy souls that read my blog articles will already be aware of what a voluminous “Favourite Films of all time” list I have. And “Trainspotting” is very near the summit and the highest possible praise I can give this masterpiece of a film. But this leaves me, as it often does, in somewhat of a quandary as to how to appraise or review this masterpiece without delving into spoilers or spoil through my own exuberance for a film I have grown up with, lived with and adored for over two decades.
“Trainspotting” truly was a seminal film that spawned it’s own culture and a cottage industry of books, t-shirts, slogans and allowed many inferior films to ride on it’s coat tails. It reignited and/or gave new light into the careers of Iggy Pop and Lou Reed (to name just two) and as with “Shallow Grave”, propelled relative unknown actors into the stratosphere and onto glittering acting careers.
“Trainspotting” was also universally reviled on release and lazily tagged with glamorising drug use but this film comes nowhere glorifying or celebrating the use of heroin or the many other drugs used within the narrative. Their use and, more importantly, the effects on the users, are horrific, graphic, shown in extreme Tarantino style close up and the aftermath, or “coming down” and needing to “score” again make for painful viewing at times and clearly not in the realm or in the universe of glamorising or glorifying drug use.
Under Boyle’s direction and using the source material from Irvine Welsh, these horrific and unpalatable scenes are always blended with the macabre, superb humour or supreme surrealist touches which often softens their impact. The film depicts the grim reality of heavy heroin abuse and it’s constantly framed in painstaking close up but there is very little celebration of this fact, only the desire to gain more. But in a film concerning the use of heroin there will be casualties, heart ache, heart break and Boyle blends these with humour darker than a piece of Scottish coal and moments of pure joy that will enhance your soul. Returning Director of Photography Brain Tufuno and Editor Masahiro Hirakubo deserve immense credit alongside their Director for blending all these human elements and many many more into a breath taking film.
Based on the novel by Irvine Welsh and the Oscar Nominated screenplay from John Hodge, “Trainspotting” is a simple tale of five friends in Edinburgh thrown together around one central character “Renton” (Ewan McGregor) and their daily needs for another “hit” or score. Not all of the friends are heroin users but they all have Renton as the central hub to their lives and similarly Renton becomes the central core of the film to us as he narrates throughout. He is desperate for a way out and constantly battling the demons of his dependency but he’s always one hit away from the dark side despite his vaguely sincere plea of “With God’s help I’ll conquer this terrible affliction”. McGregor’s performance is pitch perfect in every way.
Renton’s polar opposite is “Begbie” (Robert Carlyle), a non drug user but heavy drinker and smoker who gets his kicks, quite literally, from sporadic and horrific violence and often on total strangers. The oldest of the friends and nominally a leader of sorts, he’s also the least favoured among the group and the one best avoided. Carlyle’s portrayal of the psychotic and unhinged Begbie is phenomenal and another actor who benefitted from the early tutelage of Boyle. “Sick Boy” propelled a young Jonny Lee Miller to national recognition through his portrayal of a ruthless chancer desperate to feed his habit. Full of illicit ideas and not a little anger, Sick Boy is also the cultural reference point of the film and indeed the narrative, weaving his knowledge of Hollywood films, the James Bond franchise and cultural icons with his drug requirements. He will often quit the habit just to annoy Renton in particular, giving rise to one of the many classic lines of the film as “He knows a lot about Sean Connery!”. “Spud” is an integral part of the group and expertly played by Ewen Bremner, who followed “Trainspotting” with a wealth of films in the early 2000’s (“Snatch”, “Pearl Harbour” and “Black Hawk Down”). Spud has a heart of gold but very little sense! “Tommy” (Kevin McKidd) is another non drug user and happily partnered and along for the ride with his friends.
In support of these central characters are a wealth of intriguing cameo and supporting roles and Keith Allen returns after “Shallow Grave” in a cameo as “Dealer” and the author Irvine Welsh portrays scatty and jumpy “Mikey Forrester” well. Peter Mullan also returns to a Boyle film in the guise of “Swanney” or “Mother Superior”. It is his run down, decrepit and hole ridden den in which the drug taking friends often find themselves and Mullan is superb as always. Last but by no means least is the break out performance of Kelly MacDonald as “Diane”. Her introduction is perfection itself, as Renton, desperate for some female company spots Diane across the room of a local nightclub and can only stand transfixed and watch in awe as Diane finishes the drinks brought to her by a clearly out of his depth male chancer and walks away without a flicker of emotion. All perfectly framed by Director Boyle with his camera sweeping across the room from a smitten Renton “and with that, Mark Renton had fallen in love”.
He wasn’t the only one!
A Channel 4 films Production this soon became another Danny Boyle film that was (and remains) eminently quotable and quickly seeped into the public consciousness and became an instant pop culture icon. It’s far more than a tale of Mark Renton’s life but McGregor’s role is central, appearing as he does in both the opening and closing frames of the film. Where Director Boyle excels is to take a horrifying and often repugnant tale and twist it with touches of dark humour as well as utilising a surrealistic bent and nowhere is this more apparent than in Renton’s most difficult struggles with his addiction. Trying to go “cold turkey” and a complete withdrawal from drugs, he barricades himself into a sparse room with various supplies and nails the door closed. A minute later, a desperate Renton is seeking a “hit” and after finally securing a substitute drug of sorts he is caught short by the onset of diarrhoea and has no alternative but to use “The Worst toilet in Scotland”. But what is initially a disgusting scene of filth and degradation soon becomes a beautifully surrealistic dive into the toilet bowl! Later in the film, and again struggling with a complete withdrawal Renton experiences violent and disturbing hallucinations, of his bedroom moving, sharing his room with his friends and indeed the visitations of the awful consequences that have so far become of some of those closest to him and a Dale Winton hosted game show that hints at the further horrors ahead. It is particularly difficult to watch and one incident in particular is extremely shocking but the quality of the juxtapositions employed by the Director are stunning and indicative of Renton’s state of mind. A final insight into the experiences of Renton, and the brilliant presentation of the Director is his violent overdose. As he sinks into a red rug as though being buried, the scene continues with Renton constantly framed by the red rug surrounding him and reminding the audience that he is but a few minutes away from dying. Revived in a hospital and the aftermath is again horrific but the scene takes no more than three minutes and is accompanied throughout by a beautifully quiet and original version of “Perfect Day” by Lou Reed. It truly is a scene that needs to be seen to be believed.
But these are just examples of the more extreme situations we see Renton encounter and Boyle really does exploit the horrific scenes to inject a counter narrative, and provide light to the darkest of shades. But it shouldn’t be overlooked that the film has so many high (pun intended) points and the nightclub scene mid way through the film is the highest. The night out for all the friends is a veritable feast of sex, or the promise of it, drugs and a huge intake of alcohol. The aftermath for each is very different, from hilarious to exultant or to the depths of desolation but it’s Renton who experiences all three but before the morning arrives he’s fallen in love and “I haven’t felt this good since Archie Gemmill scored against Holland in 1978”. It’s oblique unless you’ve seen the film but it’s also a wonderful example of the Director telling his story in such a supreme and affecting way. And it’s bloody hilarious too!
Supporting all of these superb talents is a soundtrack that is worthy of a place in your music collection all on its own. Iggy Pop’s “Lust for Life” opens the film and reflective of the narrative arc the film is closed by Underworld and “Born Slippy”. In between is a veritable feast of classic songs from Lou Reed (Perfect Day), Blondie (Atomic), Heaven 17 (Temptation), Blur (Sing), Pulp (Mile End) and Elastica (2:1).
Not forgetting Spud’s rendition of “Two Little Boys” which may break your heart.
All these years on, “Trainspotting” remains fresh, vibrant, brilliantly funny, thought provoking and a horrific but beautiful watch. It’s one of my favourite films of all time and despite the esteemed competition, Danny Boyle’s finest cinematic accomplishment.
Thanks for reading. I hope this message in a bottle in The Matrix finds you well, prospering, and the right way up in an upside down world.
Scotland the brave, and the high...