Irvine Welsh's Trainspotting: The film we didn't know we needed

Why this dark twisted tale of heroin addiction is still an audience and critic favourite.

What is it that is so appealing about this movie? Is it the bizarre lifestyles of heroin addicts that we find so interesting? Is it the pure truth that comes with being a heroin addict and the movie accurately depicting the highs and lows? Danny Boyle's adaptation of Irvine Welsh's debut novel has been a favourite of audiences and critics for over 20 years since it's release.

Starring Ewan McGregor portraying the role of Mark Renton, a heroin addict living in run down area of Edinburgh. Alongside his friends Spud (Ewan Bremner), Begbie (Robert Carlyle), SickBoy (Johnny Lee Miller) and Tommy (Kevin McKidd). Renton, Spud and Sickboy being the only addicts in their group, Begbie and Tommy are against drugs and are the only clean ones. Trying to balance their addictions, love lives and relationships with parents this story of a group of misfits accurately depicts a grotty, sorrowful life of young addicts.

In a economically run down city, there weren't many opportunities in Edinburgh in the 90's. Considering Renton isn't employed, he spends his time getting high and moping around in a depressed ram shackled house with SickBoy, Spud and their dealer Swanney or else known as 'Mother Superior'. The social constructs that are represented in Trainspotting are how these people were treated in their society. These people to the average middle classes are 'dregs of society' and have nothing better to do than get high and sponge off the government. Showing that there are holes in the walls with half stripped paint, the people in the film don't seem to care much for their reputation. Renton only gets some form of respect from people when he moves to London to get a job as a letting agent. Heroin is represented as a medicine. "I chose not to choose life. I chose something else. And the the reasons? There are no reasons. Who needs reasons when you've got heroin?". So the characters clearly know that what they're doing is something wrong but don't seem to care for the consequences . So they are stapled in the mindset of 'why not?'. The scenes that are beautifully shot, even when Renton is swimming in the toilet, the nightclub scene and when they're shooting up; they may not sound exactly picturesque but the cinematography is outstanding. As beautifully shot as it is it still looks like something that we wouldn't want to try even though the high looks something of a dream. When Renton decides to go clean the withdrawal symptoms makes the audience feel they want to do the opposite of take a hit. The craving of heroin when Renton is locked in his room seems so real and it makes you so invested in his story of recovery and uncomfortable to even watch the scene.

Trainspotting was released in 1996, this is was the decade when Britpop music really took off. The soundtrack is entirely made of Britpop anthems which really make the film. Lust for Life by Iggy Pop, Born Slippy by Underworld and Mile End by Pulp are songs that we now associate with Trainspotting. The soundtrack has become such a staple for the film, as if it couldn't be anymore iconic and memorable.

The toilet scene towards the start of the film is one that I can't personally watch. It makes me feel sick, which of course is what Danny Boyle was aiming for. However when he is swimming in the toilet bowl, it's so mesmerizing. It reminds me somewhat of Tim Burton's Corpse Bride. The Land of the Living is mundane whereas The Land Of The Dead is bright and in a way seems more alive. In Trainspotting's case being high can seem like a beautiful thing with how the colour palette is vibrant. Yet we look at when they are sober it looks like a boring life to live. Danny Boyle has tried to let the audience get a feel of the effect of drugs through the light and dreamy scenes and has comparably made us feel low when the characters are clean.

Trainspotting has the purpose of making you feel like your life in comparison to the characters is perfection, you compare your life to theirs in the film and think 'I'm not doing too bad'. The 'Choose life, choose a job, choose a career' monologue is essentially a big middle finger to having a perfect life. You don't need a 'f***ing big television, washing machines, cars, compact disc players and electrical tin openers', this is all very true but taking heroin is certainly not a replacement for a somewhat normal life. The lives of the characters are something that I didn't live through, though watching this film makes me feel I'm glad I didn't. However it makes you feel fearless. Like life is the drug itself and there is no such thing a perfect life.

The Pink Soap Review Rating: 9/10