Ecstasy

I recently watched this film at the Vail Film Festival. This story is about, well.... it's in the title. I was not sure how I would take this at first being fearful that it would be a Trainspotting knockoff. I was very pleased that even though it is about drugs like Trainspotting, it has a unique story that stands on it's own two feet. I do fee that the first act dragged a little before the story really began moving. I have seen other reviews from old people (me being not too young myself) complaining that this should have been a nostalgic piece or should contain dub-step tracks... that is complete rubbish. I am a fan of most Genre's of EDM but I feel the tunes in this film fit very well. Other than some minor editing choices, this film delivers a great love/human story... no spoilers here. I am a fan of Trainspotting, It's all Gone Pete Tong, Go and Groove. I feel this story fits nicely into these films as far as content/story go. I hope you enjoy it too and I am excited for it to come to America.

Even if no one tells you, that the novel this is based on is by the same author who wrote "Trainspotting", you'd get that after a couple of minutes for sure. It's too early to really tell, but Ewan McGregor this ain't. Still the central performance is really good and you get the ever beautiful K. Kreuk.

Story-wise you shouldn't expect much. Very predictable and some cliché scenes, with a bad guy who relishes in his role, but almost gets underplayed by the characters inabilities. Our main character is as mostly in this cases one of his own worst enemies. Decent little thriller that has all the right ingredients, but never fully takes off

When Ecstacy was made, the best known film based on Welsh's work that had came out was Trainspotting. Of course there were other projects, but those aren't that well known to us. Maybe people have heard of Acid House, but movies like Dockers? Has anyone heard of those, apart from the people who made them? Trainspotting's touch is so clear on Ecstasy. The very beginning has the same feeling to it. The main character Lloyd is talking about ecstasy in a narrating, monologue way. When certain important characters appear, their names are shown to us, just like in the beginning of Trainspotting. While I like Trainspotting, I'd rather not be watching a movie where the director thinks he's doing Trainspotting when he's not.

But luckily that's the beginning. Apart from drugs, Scotland and Welsh's charming text (and his face, briefly), there's nothing too similar in these stories.

The love story was somehow new to me. I have read only few novels by Welsh, but love and romance have never played such a major part in them. Welsh seems to be great at love stories too, which is something I couldn't have anticipated. But in the story two imperfect characters fall in love, and Lloyd's imperfection, addiction, creates a whole lot of trouble, but eventually it's clear they are going to be a great couple.

Have Welsh's characters ever been easily likable? I don't think so. It's hard to like Lloyd when he's in debt and he knows he should get the money at a certain time, because the guy told him so, yet there he is, partying with his girlfriend. Get a grip! Also it's really frustrating in a good way (because you know you'r at least somewhat invested in the story) to watch this, because you start thinking if only. If only Lloyd had done this, if only Lloyd hadn't done that...

As always, I like how we get to learn about characters naturally, slowly, instead of getting a massive dump of info on us.

I liked this movie visually very much. It was very colourful, mostly because of the clubs, but on the other hand there was a lo of earthly colours, because it takes place in Edinburgh. It creates such a nice contrast.

I can't say Ecstasy was anything I expected, because I wasn't really expecting anything. It isn't on the same level with Trainspotting, but how could it be, when the only similarity is Scotland, drugs and Irvine Welsh. Partly it's hard to watch, because it's a bit slow and doesn't seem to go anywhere, but at the end it's a great story, worth reading, watching.

I saw this in Toronto at the North by Northeast (NXNE) festival. It took me back to my university days in England when I attended a few all night raves and witnessed some of the prevalent drug culture that surrounds such events. The cinematography and music was just right and made you feel that you were inside the dance clubs experiencing the atmosphere and excitement. I enjoyed the performances of Adam Sinclair, Carlo Rota and Billy Boyd who all played opposing neurotic characters. The movie highlighted the temporary perceived highs of ecstasy while showing how the reality of life can be a real downer. After watching the movie it made me appreciate all the work that was undertaken behind the scenes to get the funding and cast together which took over a decade!

I wasn't sure if I would like the movie as I was a huge fan of Trainspotting and also Welsh's work but it totally blew me away. Hayden's direction manages to convey a real sense of the brutal underworld involved in the drug culture while unfolding the rather unconventional love story at the same time. Great performances from Sinclair and Kreuk but Billy Boyd simply stole the show for me (think Spud from Trainspotting meets Donkey from Shrek).Having read the book I think that Hayden and McCafferty eloquently captured the essence of the book and incorporated some really touching emotional scenes with Lloyd and his dying father, adding a slightly softer side to the movie. I'll be going to see this again and again and predict that it becomes as big a success as Trainspotting.