Overdue: Trainspotting

Sometimes random significant bits of pop culture are elusive, be it by choice or by accident. For example, I've never seen the original Rocky and don't really plan to. You could say it's somehow related to a profound dislike of Sylvester Stallone -- that is if I didn't hold Demolition Man in such high regard. But hey, its never too late to catch up. And yes, this is kind of a rip-off of The AV Club's better late than never feature.

Trainspotting is one of those that is particularly embarrassing not to have seen, particularly for someone who likes movies. I knew I should watch it when a friend of mine who doesn't like movies (too long, he says) told me it was one of his favorites. The only excuse I have for never watching it is that it has a shitload of people shooting up heroin throughout -- one of the few things that still makes me squeamish. Watching every episode of the X-Files in a three month span will build up your tolerance to watching lots of disturbing stuff, but not drugs and needles.

Anyway. You know a movie is great, or at least reached some level on the cultural zeitgeist, when some scenes become cliche. I'm referring to the part with the baby on the ceiling while Renton is going through withdrawal. Not sure where I saw that elsewhere, but it has definitely been copied.

It's probably good that Trainspotting doesn't romanticize heroin use. Well it does, to an extent, but there is also the guy who gets AIDS and dies from a cat poop-induced stroke, for example. Or the "Worst Toilet in Scotland" scene. Terrible. It is probably more accurate to say the movie humanizes heroin addiction, at least in the cases of Renton and Spud. Begbie on the other hand is just psycho. And he doesn't even use.


Finally, Danny Boyle is rapidly becoming a favorite director. Love that imagery. The ideal Boyle double feature would have to be Trainspotting and Millions. Great characters, story telling, visuals and music throughout both. Plus the disparity between the two films could be pretty striking: Hardcore addicts grappling with life vs. innocent children grappling with death.