Review of Trainspotting (1996) by Todd B — 29 Sep 2012

Widely considered one of Scotland's finest films, 'Trainspotting' is one of few drug addiction tales that manages to tackle serious material without taking itself too seriously. It is often described as black comedy, but I would liken it more to a drama with a crude, dark sense of humor. The cinematography resembles that of 'Synecdoche New York,' where metaphors dripping in sarcasm are filmed to the eager delight (and sometimes disgust) of the viewer.

Ewan McGregor was a great choice as the lead in this picture, excelling both as a heroin junkie main character and as an effective narrator. The supporting cast is strong as well. Most of the roles are memorable and do a fine job of illustrating the world and personality of narcotics.

As a longtime Danny Boyle fan, I was very eager to finally view one of his earliest films. It is a good distance behind some of his most ambitious work (i.e. 'Slumdog Millionaire' and '28 Days Later'), yet 'Trainspotting' is still another strong picture in Boyle's fantastic body of work.