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Trainspotting 18 rating

Danny Boyle's exhilarating, narcotic trip follows a group of heroin-addicted friends as they navigate their way through Glasgow's seedy 1990s drug culture.

Drama 1996 90 mins

Director: Danny Boyle

Overview

Powered forward by a superb soundtrack, Danny Boyle’s unrelenting but often hilarious portrait of addiction, friendship and rebellion in Edinburgh is now considered one of the great British films. Based on the cult novel by Irvine Welsh, Trainspotting became an unlikely box office hit upon release, dazzling audiences with its audacious visuals and contagious energy.

Danny Boyle has gone on to make many films in a wide variety of genres but none seem to have resonated with audiences quite as much as Trainspotting. Is this due to Ewan McGregor’s empathetic portrayal of drug addict Renton, the breakneck style that the film employs or the colourful cast of deplorable and relatable characters? Regardless, and despite the sometimes-difficult subject matter, the enduring nature of Trainspotting seems to have extended well into the 21st century.