A wild, freeform, Rabelaisian trip through the darkest recesses of Edinburgh low-life, focusing on Mark Renton and his attempt to give up his heroin habit, and how the latter affects his relationship with family and friends: Sean Connery wannabe Sick Boy, dimbulb Spud, psycho Begbie, 14-year-old girlfriend Diane, and clean-cut athlete Tommy, who's never touched drugs but can't help being curious about them...
Written by Michael Brooke <michael@everyman.demon.co.uk>
Choose life. Choose a job. Choose a starter home. Choose dental insurance, leisure wear and matching luggage. Choose your future. But why would anyone want to do a thing like that?
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Director Trademark:
[Danny Boyle]
[bridge]
Renton is briefly seen crossing a large bridge.
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Goofs
Continuity:
Length of the ash on the joint that Renton and Dianne share after Renton visits Tommy.
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Quotes
[first lines]
Mark "Rent-boy" Renton:
[narrating]
Choose Life. Choose a job. Choose a career. Choose a family. Choose a fucking big television, choose washing machines, cars, compact disc players and 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 suit on hire purchase in a range of fucking fabrics. Choose DIY and wondering who the fuck you are on Sunday morning. Choose sitting on that couch watching mind-numbing, spirit-crushing game shows, stuffing fucking junk food into your mouth. Choose rotting away at the end of it all, pissing your last in a miserable home, nothing more than an embarrassment to the selfish, fucked up brats you spawned to replace yourselves. Choose your future. Choose life... But why would I want to do a thing like that? I chose not to choose life. I chose somethin' else. And the reasons? There are no reasons. Who needs reasons when you've got heroin? See more »
Crazy Credits
The voice-over during the end of the end credits cites the seven movies in
which Sean Connery played "James Bond".
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"Lust for Life"
Performed by Iggy Pop Words and Music by Iggy Pop / David Bowie Published by EMI Music Publishing Ltd/EMI Virgin Music Ltd/Tintoretto Music Administered by RZO Music Courtesy of Virgin Records America Inc
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