Trainspotting

July. 19,1996      R
Rating:
8.1
Trailer Synopsis Cast

Heroin addict Mark Renton stumbles through bad ideas and sobriety attempts with his unreliable friends -- Sick Boy, Begbie, Spud and Tommy. He also has an underage girlfriend, Diane, along for the ride. After cleaning up and moving from Edinburgh to London, Mark finds he can't escape the life he left behind when Begbie shows up at his front door on the lam, and a scheming Sick Boy follows.

Ewan McGregor as  Mark "Rent Boy" Renton
Ewen Bremner as  Daniel "Spud" Murphy
Jonny Lee Miller as  Simon "Sick Boy" Williamson
Kevin McKidd as  Thomas "Tommy" MacKenzie
Robert Carlyle as  Francis "Franco" Begbie
Kelly Macdonald as  Diane Coulston
Peter Mullan as  Swanney "Mother Superior"
James Cosmo as  Mr. Renton
Eileen Nicholas as  Mrs. Renton
Susan Vidler as  Allison

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Reviews

AniInterview
1996/07/19

Sorry, this movie sucks

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Pluskylang
1996/07/20

Great Film overall

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Moustroll
1996/07/21

Good movie but grossly overrated

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AnhartLinkin
1996/07/22

This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

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oliviapolson
1996/07/23

Somebody once told me the world is gonna roll me I ain't the sharpest tool in the shed She was looking kind of dumb with her finger and her thumb In the shape of an "L" on her foreheadWell, the years start coming and they don't stop coming Fed to the rules and I hit the ground running Didn't make sense not to live for fun Your brain gets smart but your head gets dumbSo much to do, so much to see So what's wrong with taking the back streets? You'll never know if you don't go You'll never shine if you don't glowHey, now, you're an all star, get your game on, go play Hey, now, you're a rock star, get the show on, get paid And all that glitters is gold Only shooting stars break the moldIt's a cool place and they say it gets colder You're bundled up now wait 'til you get older But the meteor men beg to differ Judging by the hole in the satellite pictureThe ice we skate is getting pretty thin The water's getting warm so you might as well swim My world's on fire. How about yours? That's the way I like it and I'll never get boredHey, now, you're an all star, get your game on, go play Hey, now, you're a rock star, get the show on, get paid And all that glitters is gold Only shooting stars break the moldGo for the moon Go for the moon Go for the moon Go for the moonHey, now, you're an all star, get your game on, go play Hey, now, you're a rock star, get the show on, get paid And all that glitters is gold Only shooting starsSomebody once asked could I spare some change for gas I need to get myself away from this place I said yep, what a concept I could use a little fuel myself And we could all use a little changeWell, the years start coming and they don't stop coming Fed to the rules and I hit the ground running Didn't make sense not to live for fun Your brain gets smart but your head gets dumbSo much to do, so much to see So what's wrong with taking the back streets? You'll never know if you don't go You'll never shine if you don't glowHey, now, you're an all star, get your game on, go play Hey, now, you're a rock star, get the show on, get paid And all that glitters is gold Only shooting stars break the moldAnd all that glitters is gold Only shooting stars break the mold

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adonis98-743-186503
1996/07/24

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. To be honest i watched first the sequel and then the original and i gotta say i was suprised how bad the first film was just like the second one. Most of the things that happen in this movie were so weird and just unbelievable stupid like one person going threw the freaking toilet or just cursing after cursing, drugs after drugs and just going and going and basically nothing good overall for me to enjoy plus i don't get why the movie is even ranked so high in the Top 250 and why it even won some awards i mean it was just horrible and pretty weird stupid. (0/10)

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prakswal
1996/07/25

In the aftermath of "Pulp Fiction", much of the filmmaking of the 1990s thrived upon attempts to appear "edgy" within the constructs of independent films, or merely to provide empty shock value clichés. And no film ever came close to the sheer cleverness of Tarantino's masterpiece."Trainspotting", however, somehow manages to take the excesses of the mid-90s and rise far, far above the cinematic clichés that it easily could have become. A film that tackles any hot-button social issue can, and usually does, simply become a didactic propaganda piece. Thankfully, "Trainspotting" is vastly more intelligent in its edginess and its shock.In order to appreciate "Trainspotting" fully, the viewer must abandon any preconceptions about what defines truly great cinema, because this film defies convention at nearly every turn. And with the rapid pace of its plot, that's quite a bit of ground to cover.Though a great deal of the picture's brilliance is derived from director Danny Boyle's consistent rejection of typical cinematic techniques, the most satisfying and "best" aspect of "Trainspotting" is that Boyle creates a film that is neither pro-drug or anti-drug. Instead, he maintains a rare objectivity throughout the film, depicting this fascinating array of complex, beautifully acted characters with an honesty that it seldom captured on film. And, given the life that each character lives, it's nearly incomprehensible that a director would refrain from influencing the viewer's impressions in any way, yet that's exactly what Boyle does.The dialogue-- or at least what portions of the brogue-drenched dialogue American viewers will be able to comprehend-- is alternately hilarious, raw, and brutal. And Ewan McGregor, Jonny Lee Miller, and Robert Carlyle bring a remarkable compassion and depth to their portrayals of characters that could have easily lapsed into cliché.Despite its sheer brilliance, Trainspotting is not a film that's easy to watch. The viewer is bombarded with images that transcend visceral discomfort in their horror-- this movie contains two of the most graphic, horrifying scenes. But, amazingly, none of these elements is used merely for shock value. Though the viewer will be mortified by some of the things that happen on screen-- the well-documented dive into Scotland's most vile public toilet, for example-- these scenes all make "perfect sense" within the context of a masterfully told story.In order to notice all of the subtlety that also exists in Trainspotting, repeat viewings are necessary, primarily to reduce some of the most powerful shocks ever-so-slightly, though their effects are never lost entirely. Some of the images will likely haunt even the most cynical, jaded viewer for weeks.Never patronizing and completely unpretentious, Trainspotting is one of the most daring, unconventional films ever made. It inspires a level of discomfort rivaled by very few movies, because, even at its most graphic, Boyle never insults the viewer with mere shock tactics. Brilliantly acted, directed, and written, with a truly rare objectivity that allows each viewer to interpret its story on his/her own terms.Excerpt from "Movies that Moved with Prakash Silwal https://www.facebook.com/ektafilmsnp/

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alikat-71225
1996/07/26

Trainspotting is, in my opinion, a masterpiece. Sitting somewhere between glorious and spectacular it encompasses some of the best direction, acting and music choices. It's dirty, gritty but most importantly human. Cinema should not be easy- some of the most loved and adored films are those which butt heads with the audiences morals. (e.i. Pulp fiction, Leon)As a Brit it is almost a right of passage to watch this film but that may be the films downfall. A lot of the comedy and key elements are centered to British society. Then again British films never are very universal. In short Trainspotting is a gift to cinema and tackles the difficult subject matter with grace and in a way which is accessible to the audience (at leas the British audience) I can not recommend this movie more, especially in the new age tidal wave of passable Hollywood movies.

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