by Francesca Dent

Created on: November 22, 2009

Based on the book by Irvine Welsh, Trainspotting is a deep and dark journey through the Scottish drug scene of the 90's. Set in Edinburgh the film opens with a narration from heroin addict Mark Renton (Ewan McGregor) as he and his friend Daniel 'Spud' Murphy (Ewen Bremner) sprint down Princes Street with security guards in hot pursuit after being caught shoplifting to get money to feed their habit.

The film follows the lives of Renton and his group of friends: addict Sick Boy (Jonny Lee Miller), a film buff who knows everything there is to know about Sean Connery; clean, keen football player Tommy (Kevin McKidd) and the violent drunk Begbie (Robert Carlyle) who is always up for a fight simply for the thrill of initiating physical exchanges.

Renton decides to give up his habit with the help of Sick Boy, but temptation gets the better of young Renton and he ends up overdosing on heroin at the flat of his dealer "Mother Superior", who puts him in a taxi to the hospital where nurses save his life. With no options left, Renton's parents take him home and lock him away in his room where he is given time to beat his addiction cold turkey. The hallucinations begin and are introduced to the viewer in a way that makes you feel the way that Renton must: scared and emotional.

Once clean Renton moves to London to pursue a job at a property letting agent and begins to enjoy life. This happiness however doesn't last long as Begbie arrives at Renton's flat on the run from the police after he committed an armed robbery. As Spud turns up with a proposal for a big drug deal Renton is hesitant but agrees and meets a professional dealer and sells the heroin for 16,000 which the group share. Will Renton be happy with his share or will he steal the lot and run?

Trainspotting is without a doubt an emotional roller coaster ride through the lucrative drug scene. Danny Boyle successfully portrays the experiences of four drug addicts and the way they live their lives. With the occasional experimental scene Danny Boyle manages to successfully fool the audience into believing they are experiencing what the characters are experiencing in their drug filled lives.

Trainspotting is a brilliant example of multi award winning independent British film making in an industry which is often dominated by large American corporations.

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