Trainspotting – 30th Anniversary

The life of unemployed Mark Renton and his friends Spud, Sick Boy and Regbie – a group of liars, thieves, junkies, and losers – consists mainly of drinking beer, going out, drugs and playing football. Their life motto: ‘It’s all shite anyway’. After a few dramatic events, Renton wants to change his life.

Based on Irvine Welsh’s novel, Trainspotting melds grit with poetry, resulting in a film of harsh truths and stunning grace. The film was a sensation in 1996. Whereas British films often depict life at the bottom of society in a bleak, realistic style – see the films of Ken Loach and Mike Leigh – Boyle chose a dynamic and explosive form, with a touch of surrealism. Apart from the film, the soundtrack – Underworld’s beats marching hand in hand with Iggy Pop, Lou Reed and Britpop by Blur and Pulp – also became a classic.