I chose not to choose life, I chose something else

Rating: Null/10 (19 May 2001)

Trainspotting is one of those films that gets better with each viewing When I first saw the film in 1997 I thought it was awful. Boring, pretentious, depressing and defiantly over ratted. But after the hype had died down and Figment had gone on to make the brilliant A Life less ordinary and the interesting adaptation of the Beach, I decided to give it another try Flash-forward to 2001 and I now believe the film is one of the funniest, imaginative and downright brilliant films ever made around the world let alone Britain
With all the hype now a distant memory you can watch the film as just a film, not some generation defining portrait of heroin and club culture, not a social look at what drives a person to drug addiction, but just a great film about characters who happen to be drug addicts It's also unbelievably cool, shot in a semi-documentary, semi-art house style, cut with a hyper-kinetic rhythm to some of the best music ever produced (New Order, Iggy Pop, Blur, Beethoven)
Ewan McGregor as Marc Renton was brilliant, he managed to be both funny and tragic at the same time, but it's unfair to single out one member of the cast when all the principals are at there best. Director Danny Boyle has show himself to be one of the most gifted film makers around, and it will be interesting to see what he does next after the success of the beach. There's just so much to mention about the film, so many funny, shocking and bizarre moments that make you want to watch the film again (the fast paced opening, Renton's trip into the toilette, Begbie assaulting a man in a bar, and lets not forget the cold-turkey scene).
Trainspotting isn't my favourite film, it's not as good (in my opinion) as Danny Boyle and Ewan McGregor's other film A Life Less Ordinary, but it's defiantly in my top ten. I defiantly urge everyone who enjoys challenging, stylish and intelligent film to seek this out
And remember, Choose Life