Trainspotting

Movie Name: Trainspotting

Year of Release: 1996

Director: Danny Boyle

Stars: Ewan McGregor, Ewen Bremmer, Jonny Lee Miller, Robert Carlyle, Kevin McKidd, Kelly Macdonald, Peter Mullan, James Cosmo, Eileen Nicholas, Shirley Henderson, Irvine Welsh

Genre: Drama

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 8

Synopsis:

After his well received feature debut "Shallow Grave", director Danny Boyle returned with what is still considered one of his most iconic films (and definitely one of the most talked about films from 1996). The film is an adaptation of the novel by Irvine Welsh, and focuses on the story of Renton, a young Scottish man, who is a heroin addict and lives in Edinburgh, always trying to find his next hit. His group of friends includes Spud and Sick Boy, both of whom are also addicts and the volatile and violent Begbie. After a stint in rehab, Renton goes to London in the hopes of sorting his life out, but somehow his friends and a shady drug deal have a way of coming back to him.
Danny Boyle and his unique inventiveness have always made him a fantastic director to keep an eye for. "Trainspotting" allowed him to focus on a group of characters at odds with the world, but also characters who deal with the seedy underbelly of crime in London and surrounds. It was a fresh look into the British crime drama (much like Neil Jordan's "Mona Lisa" for instance), and it also perfectly encapsulated the cultural movement of the late 90s, both musically (with the drum and bass/jungle/electronica music styles) and the general cultural aesthetic (the whole heroin chic style, fashion statements that both influenced and derived from the film). The film is also revelatory for the performances from the main leads, particularly Ewan McGregor, Ewen Bremmer, Jonny Lee Miller, Robert Carlyle and Kelly Macdonald. To this day it's a film that remains remarkably fresh, with a unique point of view that is unlike much of what has been done ever since. A great film from a fantastic director.