TRAINSPOTTING
A film review by Ted Prigge
Copyright 1997 Ted Prigge
Director: Danny Boyle Writer: John Hodge (based on the novel by Irvine Welsh) Starring: Ewan McGregor, Johnny Lee Miller, Ewen Bremmer, Robert Carlyle, Kevin McKidd, Kelly MacDonald, Peter Mullan, Irvine Welsh, Keith Allen, Andrew MacDonald
I'm reviewing this film immeadiately after I've reviewed Kubrick's "A Clockwork Orange" because they are so similar yet different (If that makes sense). Both are similar in their social satires but different in their styles and targets. While the aim of "A Clockwork Orange" was violence and its necessity in society, "Trainspotting" puts a kind of 90s twist on it and says drugs are also a necessity in society as well as violence. Now all I have to do is make a film where I show sex is a necessity in society and the trilogy of amoralness and how it is needed to create society is completed.
But while "A Clockwork Orange" took its time in telling its story (it ran for about 2 hours and 15 minutes, give or take a second), "Trainspotting" goes quickly and energetically at a brisk 93 minutes (also give or take a second). From the moment the protagonist's feet hit the street in a giddy chase scene to Iggy Pop's "Lust for Life," we are taken full speed into a world of despair and self-destructiveness that is more fun than any action film, more thoughtful than any hokey Hollywood drama, and more clever than a typical Hollywood romantic comedy. Of course, this film comes from England where it was all the rave. There, it's the equivalent of "Independence Day." Here, it's a cult hit with a minor release but with a good sized following from those of us who paid attention to the news (or saw Boyle's earlier work, "Shallow Grave," also written and produced by the same people and starring this film's star, the amazingly awesome Ewan McGregor).
Contrary to popular opinion, "Trainspotting" is not really all about drugs. Sure it's "anti-drug" and all, but I would hardly classify this as an "anti-drug film." It's really a social satire in the vein of "A Clockwork Orange" (which also wasn't really all about violence and how bad it is). The drug of choice in "Trainspotting" is heroin, although it shows other drugs being used, such as hash, alcohol, and even valium. In "Trainspotting," which takes place in 80s Edinburgh (instead of the near future of "A Clockwork Orange"), everyone has their drug fix. The protagonist, Mark Renton (the aforementioned Ewan McGregor, my pick for new breakthrough actor of the year), is a part of a group of mates, most who do heroin (including Sick Boy and Spud). Another friend, Begbie, does alcohol. Yet another friend, Tommy, doesn't do drugs, but lifts a lot and likes to videotape himself having sex with his girlfriend. Renton's mother is even a drug addict, albeit a socially acceptable one, doing valium.
Renton, or "Rents," isn't really the leader, just the more sensible one. Sick Boy (Jonny Lee Miller) is the resident Sean Connery knowitall, theorizing endlessly on Bond and his own personal meaning of life ("Well, at one time, you've got it, then you loose it, and it's gone for ever"). Then there's Spud (Ewen Bremmer), who's the least harmful and selfish of them all, but very weak-like. He's the second most sympathetic character in the film, other than Rents. Then there's Tommy (Kevin McKidd), who as I said, hates drugs but once his girlfriend dumps him (after a hilarious mix-up, see the film to find out what) he gets into it with tragic results. How could I even forget Begbie (Robert Carlyle), who gets off on beating people up. He drinks furiously and has a temper so bad it makes Sonny Corleone look like Florence Henderson. He's the most disturbing character, obviously. All of these people are clearly defined as they drift in occasionally. Rents is in most of the scenes, hence he is the most likable one, the same way Alex DeLarge was the most likable character in "A Clockwork Orange," but Rents is far less amoral than Alex.
The film takes us viewers through what it is like to be on drugs: starting us off without them in a highly satirical beginning which shows how dull life is without them. In this first Act, many of the funniest parts occur, including the infamous "Worst Toilet in Scotland" scene that is humorous, surreal and disgusting at the same time (and will have you talking about it no matter what you thought of it). Then we get back on drugs and everything is great for a while, but then some horrible things happen: Rents get arrested for looting for money to afford drugs and he later O.D.s in a brilliantly shot scene where he sinks into the floor in a red coffin and is taken to the hospital to be cured while Lou Reed's "Perfect Day" is ironically played on the soundtrack. The final Act has the film trying to form a drug-selling plot which ends the friendship between the clique and has Rents choosing to stay off drugs and lead a normal life.
"Trainspotting" shows why people use drugs: to get away from life. In the first opening speech, Renton says the famous, "Choose life. Choose a job. Choose a career." etc speech, which is so utterly satirical that it's amazing. Drugs make everything unimportant and when you're off them, "you are suddenly obliged to worry about all sorts of other shite. You have to worry about bills, about food, about some football team that never wins, about human relationships and all the things that really don't matter when you've got a sincere and truthful junk habit." It's so true that it pretty much makes you want to get a junk habit. "Trainspotting" shows the pro-sides of being on drugs. The forgetfullness of life. The pleasure. Then it turns right around and shows all the billions of down-sides, quickly quieting all yearning to ever pick up a junk habit.
First off, you HAVE to worry about things in this kind of society. You just can't turn yourself off and hope to just lie around injecting skag your entire life. In one part, a woman with a baby who has a heroin addiction, wakes one day from her haze to find her baby has died from her not caring for it. Then there's the whole risk of getting a bad stash. At one point, Renton O.D.s from a bad stash and launches into the aforementioned "Perfect Day"/sinking into the carpet scene. Then there's the whole AIDs thing, which happens to the only character who picks up the habit later on in the film and dies in a horrible way (still I laughed at the circumstances, so would you).
The other thing is the whole friendship thing. Danny Boyle certainly has a knack for showing cliques in trouble. In "Shallow Grave" he showed a group of obnoxious flatmates who turn on eachother when a suitcase of money is found. In "Trainspotting," the friends have defined themselves by the drugs they use. They all really hate eachother (except Spud, 'cause he's such a darn nice guy) but they put up with eachother because they all like doing drugs with eachother. At the end, when all of them are totally sober, Renton takes the opportunity and screws them all in hopes of helping himself with his life.
Then there's the title. What does it mean? Well, my friend (with a cool "Trainspotting" homepage) made it clear for me: "Trainspotters" are losers who write down all the schedules of trains - the guys in this film are told to get a life, hence "Trainspotting." I thank my friend for this one.
In the end, "Trainspotting" is a biting satire of a society where it sucks so much that people have to escape into a drug-induced state just to get any kind of pleasure. In this film, the phrase "Get a Life" is broken down and analyzed. Would getting a life be really good and make one happy? And if you chose not to get a life, will you be able to not have a life for a pro-longed period of time and still be happy? The answers are both clear "NO"s. This film knows that and it makes an anti-drug statement in a brilliantly realized social satire.
The film is very well made by Danny Boyle, with a sort of enthusiastic style which is kind of like a drugged-up "Hard Day's Night." It is very episodic, but it is very smooth and moves at high speeds. The violence, drugs, and sex are all presented full-forcedly, the way they need to be. Danny doesn't glamorize these, just brings them down to our level for analyzation. The writing by John Hodge, who adapted the HUGE novel by Irvine Welsh (who plays Mikey Forester, a 3 scene, 2 line role), and made it interesting, witty and brilliant. He should have received an Oscar for his endeavor, but he lost it to Billy Bob Thornton. At least he didn't lose to "The English Patient." (laugh track)
The acting is pretty much flawless. Newcomer Kelly MacDonald is wonderfully non-ignorant as a Catholic schoolgirl who fools Renton (heh heh - won't tell how). The rest of the cast, including Miller and Bremmer among others is absolutely fantastic, but the best two performances come from Robert Carlyle (as the insanely brutal and blunt drunk/jerk Begbie) and of course, Ewan McGregor. Ewan was awesome as the obnoxious, funnyman Alex in "Shallow Grave," but here he shows depth as Renton, who isn't a jerk or anything, but a very sympathetic, deep character. He gives the film what it needs to be whole. To paraphrase "Jerry Maguire", he completes the film. (Shut up! You had me at hello! --- sorry, Cameron Crowe posessed me for a second there)
"Trainspotting" is a lot like "A Clockwork Orange," from its socially satirical message to its choice of amoral protagonists with bad habits. But the two are different in their approach and while "A Clockwork Orange" is better, "Trainspotting" holds it own and is my pick for best film of 1996.
*Note: Also like "A Clockwork Orange," "Trainspotting" is an assault on the senses and might not be good for people with a weak stomach. It has graphic language, graphic sex, graphic drug use, and even graphic violence. Graphic film, I might say. And, please, view this with an open mind.
MY RATING (out of 5): *****
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