Trainspotting

 

Surprisingly this film has nothing to do with the leisurely past time of spotting all types of trains on the tracks. The relevant part of Irvine Welsh’s  book of the same name, where characters Renton and Begbie meet a drunk who turns out to Begbie’s father, at an abandoned station, was cut from the final draft; Welsh himself is, however, lucky enough to get a cameo as low down drug dealer Mikey Forrester) With all that is left, however, there is enough for this small detail not to matter. At then end of the day there is no mistaking that this is a Danny Boyle film since it has everything that interests him:controversial topics; culture analysis; possibility for harrowing scenes; and at the centre of it all, an interest in humans and characters.

The film is set in Edinburgh during the changing times of the 1980’s and it centers on a group of working-class Scottish misfits. The protagonist and narrator is Mark Renton (Rent Boy) who is played by a young Ewan McGregor, a somewhat unknown actor who had only been in three films previously. To prepare for the tough role McGregor shaved his head and lost 18 kilos so that he would look the part of a heroin addict. Renton is a guy who saw what he could have and chose to reject it for a life of instant and extreme gratification that only a good ‘hit’ could provide. The others in the group are equally colourful; there is Spud (Eiren Bremmer) a well-intentioned but dim witted guy destined for failure; Sick Boy ( Jonny Lee Miller) the schemer and wannabe pusher; Begbie (Robert Carlyle) who is a violent sociopath that will fight anyone anytime; and finally Tommy (Kevin McKidd) who is the clean cut –jock who ends up being the most tragic character in the story. None of them are really particularly likeable, most seeming to try hard to do as little work as possible, but the whole cast is exceptional with each one making their characters stand out on their own.

The film, as with the original book, revolves mainly around the heroin that the group is addicted to. As the movie progresses Renton, through his narration, tries to glorify and justify the choice he made, claiming to be in control of it all. However, this is all a self-generated smoke screen that the audience cannot fall for since we see the graphic reality. The frequent drug scenes work well in depicting the brutal realities of heroine addiction. The grotty flats, unattractive appearances and tragic consequences show the audience the truth of this lifestyle. At a time where drugs seem to be the latest party accessory due to shows such as ‘Skins’ and ‘Shameless’ (thanks a lot Channel 4) it is good, possibly even healthy, to know that there are ways for people to see the harsh side of the ‘glamour’. There is certainly nothing appealing about the dead baby scene, which is one of the most shocking I have seen on a screen.

Saying all this Boyle does not directly pass any moral judgment on the characters and doesn’t lecture the audience like an after school special. In fact we are shown how society has its own acceptable drugs such as cigarettes, alcohol and (the middle class favourite) prescription drugs, which are just as bad for you, but legal so therefore ok. The audience is left to decide for themselves if addictions are an acceptable part of life or not.

There is more analysis in this story than just looking at drugs; it also looks at the entire city of Edinburgh during its ‘cultural boom’. In the 1980s Edinburgh was seen as culturally rich and diverse, but here are a group who are anything but those things. For the best Scottish film of all time it doesn’t portray the country in a very positive light, even describing the Scottish people as ‘…the scum of the fucking Earth! The most wretched, miserable, servile, pathetic trash that was ever shat into civilization.’-not something the Scottish tourist board will be using anytime soon. The working class life-style of Edinburgh appears not to have caught up with the rest of the city and instead clings to its seedy bars, violent fights and attempts to avoid all sort of reasonability. As with Channel 4’s ‘Shameless’ we are most likely given an exaggerated version of reality, but these characters will have come from somewhere and represent some part of Edinburgh. In fact the film chooses to be brutally honest about Scottish national perception. So as well as looking at drug addiction, ‘Trainspotting’ is a cultural dissection of Scotland and its working class. It is such a shame then that this analysis takes a back seat to all the drug related plot line and story arcs such as the one concerning Renton and his under age ‘girlfriend’ Diane (Kelly Macdonald) are never fully finished.

Although the contents and issues of the film are dark and dingy, the film is shot beautifully. In this way it is like Darren Aronofsky’s ‘ Requiem For A Dream’, which also used great cinematic techniques to allow audiences to experience the same sensations as the addicts. The drug fuelled trips, cold turkey delusions and of course the famous loo metaphor are all creatively and expertly shot making the film feel just that little bit more special. Along with the visuals also comes a great 80s soundtrack that takes those who remember it straight back.

The film is certainly one that requires a strong stomach and nerves of steel, I would be lying if I said I didn’t hide behind my hands whenever a needle was shown, and trust me it happens a lot. But the rewards of seeing such a strong, hard-hitting film are worth all the ‘eek’ moments. I imagine that the book is a little less full on, many moments would be easier to read than watch, so if the story interests you it may be worth giving that a try, but you won’t get the same strong emotional reaction or reward.

 

Degree-2:1

Not a film for everyone by any means, but one that is well worth seeing.

It certainly lives up to the accolade of being the

best British film of the 1990s

(If you are confused about the rating system please click on the ‘About This Blog Page’ which will explain it all)