Trainspotting (1996)
There have been a couple of qualities that have constantly
been present in each film featured is this young Movie of the Week! Series:
rich characters and an engaging screenplay. This week’s selection, Trainspotting, continues this trend with
it’s fascinating characters and its fast paced, brutally honest dialogue. Based
on the novel of the same name by Irvine Welsh, Trainspotting introduces us to Mark Renton (Ewan McGregor), a young
man from Edinburgh trying to turn his drug influenced life around. Through a
comedic lens, Renton’s journey could not be more interesting as it explores the
impact that addiction can have.
Let's get this out of the way, Danny Boyle is one heck of a story teller. His ability rivaled by few and I feel that I forget that sometimes.
ReplyDeleteDrugs, and consequently addiction, are a slippery slope. Movies like Trainspotting truly paint a grim picture of what is like to struggle with the evils that we can bring upon ourselves. With drugs, the phrase "just one more" grows from being a mundane task to the challenge of a lifetime. Seeing Renton struggle with kicking his addictions and possibly redeem himself, and his life, in the end shows hope in an otherwise dark world.
Do you think Renton went on to live the life he described in the final voice over? And how about the connection between Diane and Renton? I found it to be an odd and unexpected relationship.
I am leaning towards yes, I do believe Renton went on to live the life he described at the end of the film. He went back and forth with drug use through the entire film. He even got completely clean but through it away in a heart beat to sample the smack that they were selling. Because of all this I never once felt that he really wanted to change until the scene featuring the altercation in the pub. He didn't want to be in that situation and it was then that really felt that he finally wanted to get away from his current life style. This is a powerful scene with out any spoken word from Renton.
DeleteI also felt that relationship between Diane and Renton was some what unorthodox but worked well because she represented the fresh start he needed and had a lot to do with his character arc.