An All-Time Favourite

Rating: 10/10 (30 June 2016)

I'll start off by saying that this is my favourite film of all time, so if you're looking for anything other than reasons to watch it, you should probably move on.
Though the subject matter of 'Trainspotting' is dark, gritty, and somewhat disgusting, the movie itself is uniquely charming. It's an objective view on drug addiction and the culture which surrounds it, and it still manages to be engaging, intriguing, and often hilarious. There seems to be a lot of criticism that this film simply glorifies the use of heroin, but that's definitely not the message here. The perspective of the viewer allows us to see the effects of the drug, without being ham-fisted in an attempt to dissuade from the use of it.
As a film, it's fantastic. Every shot is artful and beautifully arranged, even when the scene involves something like fishing through a public toilet for lost opium suppositories. The acting is also brilliant, with Ewan McGregor and (most notably) Robert Carlyle both giving the performances of their careers, and creating captivating characters in Rents and Begbie.
This is only scratching the surface of the successes of 'Trainspotting', though, as the soundtrack, pacing, dialogue, and lighting are all practically flawless. Everything in this film works well together to create a very grimy - yet beautiful - masterpiece.