Trainspotting (1996)

Trainspotting (1996), directed by Danny Boyle, is a British dark comedy-drama from 1996. At the age of 26, Mark Renton is an unemployed heroin addict living with his parents in Leith, Edinburgh. He frequently indulges in drugs with his group of ‘friends’, which includes the unreliable and womanizing Simon “Sick Boy” Williamson, the clumsy Daniel ‘Spud’ Murphy, and their dealer known as ‘Mother Superior’. Renton’s other acquaintances are the aggressive alcoholic Francis ‘Franco’ Begbie and honest footballer Tommy Mackenzie, both of whom warn him about the dangers of drug use. In an attempt to change his reckless ways, Renton uses a bare room and opium suppositories from shady dealer Mikey Forrester to wean himself off heroin.

After experiencing a bout of diarrhoea, Renton is forced to use the unsanitary restroom in a betting shop. As he retrieves his suppositories from the murky water, he can’t help but imagine himself swimming in it. Despite his efforts to distance himself from heroin, Renton’s idea of a ‘fulfilling’ life still involves questionable activities. He meets Sick Boy in a park and shoots a stranger’s dog with an air gun before supplying Spud with amphetamine for an ill-fated job interview. Later, he steals a sex tape featuring Tommy and his girlfriend Lizzy. At The Volcano nightclub, Renton notices a surge in his libido since quitting heroin. He takes advantage of this by seducing Diane Coulston and going back to her place. The next morning, Renton is horrified to discover that Diane is underage and lives with her parents, whom he initially mistakes for her roommates.