It's Heavy, Man
Danny Boyle's Trainspotting
J. A. Hanson
October 1, 1996
Viewers of Trainspotting, the latest film from director Danny Boyle and screenwriter John Hodge, are treated to the same striking visual style and elliptical storytelling that characterized their first collaboration, the slick thriller Shallow Grave. In both cases the filmmakers tantalize their audience with unanswered questions raised by the plot and the character development. In Trainspotting, the question is one of motive. The antiheroes of the film, a group of Edinburgh heroin junkies, have consciously rejected the customary expectations of society in favor of relentless pursuit of the fix and doing whatever it takes to get it. The extent of their single-minded devotion to drugs is represented in a surreal scene early in the film in which the group's unofficial ringleader, Mark Renton, dives into "the worst toilet in Scotland" to retrieve a pair of opium suppositories. Recognizing the limits of their medium, Boyle and Hodge don't bother trying to explain why the high is good enough to drive an otherwise normal person to these extremes. Instead they generate sufficient sympathy with the characters to keep their audience interested without forcing the viewers to fully empathize with their addiction. This tension persists throughout the film, and is a source of frustration for anyone looking for a "Just Say No"style condemnation of drug abuse. Trainspotting has opted for a more complicated, more realistic treatment of the drug question. The first feature of this approach is the aforementioned exclusion of any explicit motive for Renton's actions. In the film's opening segments, Renton is shooting up with his friends in their supplier's flat and comments in a voice-over on the possibility of accounting for his behavior by ...
Like the preview? To read this complete article
and 18,013 more in the archive—JOIN NOW!
Easily find high-quality, well-researched materials that provide a Christian perspective on topics ranging from headlines to history.
Start using this invaluable tool TODAY for preparing your Bible studies, presentations, class lectures, sermons, meetings, and more.
|
It's easy and quick to join:
Brought to You by Christianity Today Int'l |  |
|
| 
Find similar articles
E-mail this page
