Trainspotting (1996)

Renton, deeply immersed in the Edinburgh drug scene, tries to clean up and get out, despite the allure of the drugs and influence of friends.

Director:

Danny Boyle

Writers:

Irvine Welsh (novel), John Hodge (screenplay)

Stars:

Ewan McGregor, Ewen Bremner, Jonny Lee Miller

Top 250 #148 | Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 19 wins & 15 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ewan McGregor	...	Renton
Ewen Bremner	...	Spud
Jonny Lee Miller	...	Sick Boy
Kevin McKidd	...	Tommy
Robert Carlyle	...	Begbie
Kelly Macdonald	...	Diane
Peter Mullan	...	Swanney
James Cosmo	...	Mr. Renton
Eileen Nicholas	...	Mrs. Renton
Susan Vidler	...	Allison
Pauline Lynch	...	Lizzy
Shirley Henderson	...	Gail
Stuart McQuarrie	...	Gavin / US Tourist
Irvine Welsh	...	Mikey Forrester
Dale Winton	...	Game Show Host

Storyline

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...

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Plot Keywords:

drugs | heroin | punched in the face | robbery | head twisted backwards | 

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Taglines:

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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Genres:

Crime | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for graphic heroin use and resulting depravity, strong language, sex, nudity and some violence

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

19 July 1996 (USA)

Also Known As:

Ferrovipathes

Filming Locations:

78A Talgarth Road, West Kensington, London, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$3,500,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

ITL 7,964,777,000 (Italy) (15 November 1996)

Gross:

$16,501,785 (USA) (13 December 1996)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Channel Four Films, Figment Films, The Noel Gay Motion Picture Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

94 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The writing on the wall of the Volcano Nightclub is the same as that in the Moloko bar in A Clockwork Orange. There are also paintings of Robert De Niro and Jodie Foster from Taxi Driver.

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Goofs

After Renton's court arraignment when he gets high and is enveloped by the red carpet, he has no belt. But once Mother Superior drags him to the street he's now wearing a belt.

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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 ...

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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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Connections

Referenced in Following (1998)

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Soundtracks

"Sing"
Performed by Blur
Lyrics by Damon Albarn
Music by Damon Albarn / Graham Coxon / Alex James / Dave Rowntree (as David Rowntree)
Published by MCA Music Ltd
Licensed by EMI Records Ltd
By Courtesy of Parlophone and EMI Special Markets UK

User Reviews

One of the best films ever - a lot of people missed the point

It's ironic that I'm saying "many people missed the point" because I did, too. My original review on IMDb gave the film a negative rating. I deleted it months ago because I have since purchased the Director's Cut on DVD and fallen in love with it.

The movie is energetic, imaginative and unique. It's taken from Irvine Welsh's novel, which I now really want to read. It's about a group of heroin addicts (led by Ewan McGregor's Renton) in Scotland who can't seem to live past their addiction...everything centers around drugs.

"Trainspotting" was condemned for promoting drug use, but I agree with fellow reviewer Bob the Moo who claims this was a misinterpretation on the media's behalf - yeah, it may show drugs as being "funny" at times (like Renton's wacky hallucination) but it certainly doesn't glamorize them. Some of the sequences are sickeningly realistic and depressing - like the scene with the baby. That's tragic stuff, and totally unexpected. It's also effective because by that point in the film we care about the characters enough for it to affect us on an emotional level.

The movie was really popular in the UK but never got much acclaim overseas. Americans in general will always be less liberal and be quicker to damn films for their messages. "Taxi Driver" was hailed by Europeans in '76...can't really say the same for US critics - it was a huge split in opinion at the time.

Ditto here. Most Americans didn't really "get it" and the only attention it received was the controversy surrounding the appearance of Mr. McGregor's genitalia. Oh, the humanity! If you haven't seen "Trainspotting" yet, I highly recommend it. Don't be turned off at first by its bleak humor and sick content - I won't lie, it IS a rough ride...but by the end, it's worth it.