There are movies that you show to a few people, most of them will say “what a crap”, some would say “what hit me?” and a very very number would swear by the name of the movie. They will revere the movie. These movies go on to be cult movies. These movies appeal to a very few but in a very different and special way.
Trainspotting in one such movie. It is based on the controversial book “Trainspotting” by Irvine Welsh. The book itself has been a cult book. Although it needs an effort to read it as it has been written in phonetics, A unique style, that perfectly fits the story and characters. Though Its about a few Scottish junkies in Edinburgh, who have long standing problems of Heroine addiction. They use heroine to make fun of the trivialily and predictability of the modern life. They try to kick the habit, but end up again in the same trouble. Like Mark Renton(played by Ewan McGregor) says The down side of coming off junk was that I knew I will mix with my friends again fullly consciousness. It is awful, they reminded me so much of myself I could hardly bear to look at them. And movie revolves around this whole plot. Trainspotting, is in your face, honest, and a very confident movie. It doesnt try to mince words, or lighten up the horror show of drug addiction, and it also does not try to say something like “you can get over it, if you really try”. At the same time, it also conveys that the other choice that you have(the modern existence), is at best banal, trivial. Tagline of the movies goesn something like this “Choose life. Choose a job… Choose dental insurance, leisure wear … Choose your future. But why would anyone want to do a thing like that?”
It is one of the best performances ever by Ewan McGregor. The character Mark “rent boy” Renton is something that you would hate most of the time in the movie, except probably the end(yeah… when he rips off money from his friends). The director is, Danny Boyle who has movies like Shallow Grave, The Beach, and 28 Days Later, to his credit and in Trainspotting he has created a movie you would remember for a long time. Its a must watch if you dare to see a movie that is full of profanity, a little bit of violence, and drugs and the gruesome effects associated with it, expressed in Scottish accented Slang. I also recommend the book if you are not easily offended, and can take some crudity that is real.
The ending narration ironically says quiet a lot. (I dont remember the complete line – Here it is reproduced from a website that has the complete script of the movie.)
So why did I do it? I could offer a million answers, all false. The truth is that I’m a bad person, but that’s going to change, I’m going to change. This is the last of this sort of thing. I’m cleaning up and I’m moving on, going straight and choosing life. I’m looking forward to it already. I’m going to be just like you: the job, the family, the f***ing big television, the washing machine, the car, the compact disc and electrical tin opener, good health, low cholesterol, dental insurance, mortgage, starter home, leisurewear, luggage, three-piece suite, DIY, game shows, junk food, children, walks in the park, nine to five, good at golf, washing the car, choice of sweaters, family Christmas, indexed pension, tax exemption, clearing the gutters, getting by, looking ahead, to the day you die.
Okay BTW, What does Trainspotting mean? A little googling tells me, that it is a hobby (mostly) in Scotland and England, where people stand at the big train stations, and note down all the details of the train, the engine make, the number of coaches etc. of the trains that they spot. In general English Trainspotter would mean an abnormal or boring person.