Vibrant, hilarious, tragic – sometimes all at once.

Rating: 10/10 (6 April 2017)

Trainspotting is a strong entry from visionary filmmaker Danny Boyle.
Much like the drug-induced dreams of its characters, Trainspotting manages to be vibrant, colorful, hilarious, tragic, and gut-wrenching - often all at once.
With a slim hour and forty-five-minute runtime, the narrative rockets forward at a breakneck pace. However, in spite of the leanness and speed, no character feels shortchanged. Each arc is treated by Boyle and the writers with the necessary respect and attention - especially when it comes to Renton's (played wonderfully by a young Ewan McGregor.)
Not since Malcolm McDowell's Alex of Clockwork Orange has such a despicable character been so watchable or come across this - dare I say - likable.
Perhaps this attraction to the character is because Renton is sadly a mirror image of whom we all have been at some point. Sure, we may not be heroin junkies looking for "one last hit." But we have all made promises to ourselves to rid ourselves of some vice after that "one last time." Like it or not, Renton is us. He is a human being. Depraved and unable to "choose life" - no matter how much he may want to. He will always be driven by a quest for pleasure - regardless of how unsustainable or finite that pleasure may be.
Overall, Boyle's powerhouse directing, an incredible cast, and strong imagery make Trainspotting a unique and necessary cinematic experience.