There is a very distinct cleverness to both the writing and the shooting of this film. Writing as someone who understands Scottish? (being Ulster Scots) the dialect and the language which are used in the film reflect the research and detail that went into Walsh’s book. One of my other favourite lines is the monologue where Renton describes what it is like to be Scottish,
Tommy: ‘Doesn't it make you proud to be Scottish?’
Renton: ‘It's SH*TE being Scottish! We're the lowest of the low. The scum of the f**king Earth! The most wretched miserable servile pathetic trash that was ever shat on civilisation. Some people hate the English. I don't. They're just w**kers. We, on the other hand, are colonised by w**kers. Can't even find a decent culture to get colonised by. We're ruled by effete **sholes. It's a sh*te state of affairs to be in, Tommy, and all the fresh air in the world won't make any f**king difference!’
The set pieces such as the bottomless toilet or baby walk are clever insights into how an addict would perceive the world and Danny Boyle actually brings us inside the mind of the addict through these vehicles.Bear in mind also that this was the first big film for all the major actors Ewan McGregor, Ewen Bremner, Jonny Lee Miller, Kevin McKidd, Robert Carlyle and Kelly Macdonald. With the exception of ‘Priest’ (1994) Carlyle and ‘Shallow grave’ (1994) McGregor none of these actors had EVER done anything significant and yet it was to be this film that made them all. To be honest I can’t think of any other comparison with any other film.
There are several clear moral messages throughout the film concerning drugs, friendships, trust, violence and sexual health – none of which are preachy and all of which are affective. It’s got strong language and disturbing scenes but neither of these are reasons not to see one of British Cinemas greatest movies.
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