Trainspotting

Directed by Danny Boyle

Scotland (United Kingdom) (1996)

 

The British Film Institute considers Trainspotting to be one of the top British films of all time, and it is probably the most-highly acclaimed film coming from the country of Scotland. (Scotland is a part of the island of Britain, and Britain is a state in the United Kingdom, making Scotland British by association even though it is considered its own country.) The cult classic revolves around the lives of heroin addicts in the late 1980s in Edinburgh. The title, Trainspotting, has nothing to do with watching trains (although there is a scene in the movie where the characters wait on a train platform, and there is a wallpaper print with trains all over it), but has to do with using heroin. A frequent user of heroin will have a series of spots that resemble train tracks on their arms from injecting the drug into their system. The movie is based on the novel of the same name written by Irvine Welsh.

Literally, trainspotting.

Trainspotting follows the life of Renton (Ewan McGregor) who is involved in the Scottish drug scene. All of Renton’s friends are fellow drug addicts, and they find themselves in lots of compromising situations while trying to get money to continue funding their addictions. Renton finally tries to get himself out of the drug scene but finds it difficult as he keeps associating with the same influential friends and remembering how good the high of the drugs feel. The film shows the many effects of the drug, both the highs and the lows, and the desperate actions the characters will take to continue their habit.

Trainspotting documents the increased drug epidemic in the 1980s Edinburgh neighborhood of Leith. Edinburgh was a popular haven for drugs, dating all the way back to the late 1600s, and in the 1800s, it was one of the world’s highest producers of opiates. Drug use was popular among the middle classes and those with money. The 1970s saw high rates of unemployment, and the 1980s brought in cheap heroin from Pakistan, making it easier for people with less money to purchase the drug. Because of the unemployment rates, people felt they had nothing to work towards, making drugs a more attractive time killer.* Edinburgh then not only saw a drug epidemic, but also a surge in communicable diseases such as hepatitis B & C, as well as HIV.**

Even though this movie is in English, I had to watch it with subtitles because of the heavy Scottish accent. It is not for the queasy of heart as some parts are pretty graphic, but it is a great commentary on the world of drug addiction. As a viewer of the movie, you feel like you are experiencing the constant high that these characters are going through. Part comedy, part drama, part crime film, it is a very well-crafted movie.

* http://www.theguardian.com/society/2009/aug/15/scotland-trainspotting-generation-dying-fact

** http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/the-fatal-legacy-of-a-nations-drug-use-epidemic.18619037