Danny Boyle’s decade-defining masterpiece is a film that stands the test of time and withholds its status as one the greatest British films evert made. Based on Irvine Welsh’s novel of the same name, this black comedy follows protagonist Mark Renton and his group of friends as he attempts to “choose life” and end his heroin addiction.
‘Trainspotting’ is a markedly British black-comedy, as Boyle bravely has the viewer laughing at a topic as harrowing and grim as drug abuse. Mark Renton’s tale is both one of comedy and tragedy- as he attempts to get on the straight-and-narrow while also coping with the horrific events that he is witness to.
Also, the poignancy of the film’s counter-culture themes is in fact added to by its age. In the opening monologue, Renton says “Choose Life. Choose a job. Choose a career... But why would I want to do a thing like that?”. In reality, the young audience that so greatly loved the film when it was first released did in fact “choose life”. In the same way that it costs £6 to visit Karl Marx’s grave, the now adult audience did indeed take the path that Renton and his friends rebelled against.
All in all, Trainspotting is a film that stands the test of time and well worth a watch.
