A wild, fun, intelligent, yet somewhat touching masterpiece

Rating: Null/10 (31 March 2003)

Unlike most creative films, this film doesn't get its greatness from its provocative nature or boldness. Instead it comes from its unique intelligence and beautiful message on life that is made clear in the end of the film. The story is narrated by Mark, the Scottish heroin addict who is really a classic and beautiful protagonist underneath his wild and shocking style. Despite his aloof attitude, his rather reasonable yet dismal outlook on life, and a lack of living prudently, Mark is still a good person who wants to escape the stupidity of a normal life by immersing himself in a world revolving around heroin. He and his friends are more than fine with this sort life until all the problems of their addictions catch up with them. This leaves Mark to make the decision he never wanted to face, to leave the life he had chosen or make another choice by living the type of life he had condemned. If he chooses the wild and amazing life of heroin he will have to stay with the world which caused trauma and shock for him and his friends and held them back from reality. If he goes with the life of he never wanted he would be free from the drug that controls him and from all the chaos that came with it. But he would never be able to escape the ugliness of the real world and will never experience the glory of heroin again. So he chooses life over the beloved heroin with the help of his parents and support from his very young , schoolgirl lover. But his past haunts him again as he tries to make a new life in London. His friends come back and Mark's test comes back again, the tempting life of his past versus the annoyingly bare yet reasonable life of responsibility. Instead of spoiling the end I'll wait for the reader to watch the film (if he or she hasn't done so already). It is a magnificent film that is hilarious, enticing, and speaks to the intelligent and the thoughtful. It's not hard to understand why Mark and his friends loved the drug. Considering the pressure, injustice, hurt, and shallow nonsense of the world, sometimes we need to create our own world that makes us feel safer, more faithful, warmer, and most of all happier. The only problem is that this leads people away from truth and reality, which is never a good thing. Mark realizes this and chooses reality and decides to "Choose life. Choose a job. Choose a starter home. Choose dental insurance, leisure wear and matching luggage. Choose your [his] future." The main problem is whether he'll stay with it.