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Trainspotting
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Trainspotting (1996) More at IMDbPro »

Photos (see all 53 | slideshow) Videos
Trainspotting (1996) -- Star Dev Patel discusses Danny Boyle's ("28 Days Later", "Trainspotting") latest film, "Slumdog Millionaire," which chronicles the spectacular rise of an Indian street kid's fame on a TV game show.

Overview

User Rating:
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 3% in popularity this week. See rank & trends on IMDbPro.
Director:
Danny Boyle
Writers:
Irvine Welsh (novel)
John Hodge (screenplay)
Contact:
View company contact information for Trainspotting on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
19 July 1996 (USA) more
Genre:
Comedy | Crime | Drama more
Tagline:
Choose life. Choose a job. Choose a starter home. Choose dental insurance, leisure wear and matching luggage. Choose your future. But why would anyone want to do a thing like that? more
Plot:
Renton, deeply immersed in the Edinburgh drug scene, tries to clean up and get out, despite the allure of the drugs and influence of friends. full summary | full synopsis
Awards:
Nominated for Oscar. Another 18 wins & 13 nominations more
User Comments:
My new favorite movie more

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Ewan McGregor ... Renton

Ewen Bremner ... Spud

Jonny Lee Miller ... Sick Boy

Kevin McKidd ... Tommy

Robert Carlyle ... Begbie

Kelly Macdonald ... Diane

Peter Mullan ... Swanney

James Cosmo ... Mr. Renton

Eileen Nicholas ... Mrs. Renton
Susan Vidler ... Allison
Pauline Lynch ... Lizzy

Shirley Henderson ... Gail
Stuart McQuarrie ... Gavin / US Tourist
Irvine Welsh ... Mikey Forrester
Dale Winton ... Game Show Host
more
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Also Known As:
На игле (Russia) [ru]
Ferrovipathes (Canada: French title) [fr]
La vida en el abismo (Mexico) [es]
Sin límites (Mexico) (video box title) [es]
Trainspotting (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
Trainspotting (Czech Republic) [cs]
Trainspotting (Italy) [it]
Trainspotting (Denmark) [da]
Trainspotting (France) [fr]
Trainspotting (Slovakia) [sk]
Trainspotting (Spain) [es]
Trainspotting (Portugal) [pt]
Trainspotting (Slovenia) [sl]
Trainspotting (Poland) [pl]
Trainspotting - Neue Helden (Germany) [de]
Trainspotting - Sem Limites (Brazil) [pt]
more
MPAA:
Rated R for graphic heroin use and resulting depravity, strong language, sex, nudity and some violence.
Runtime:
94 min
Country:
UK
Language:
English
Color:
Color
Aspect Ratio:
1.78 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Dolby Digital

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Alec Guinness has been succeeded in two of his roles by actors from Trainspotting (1996). Guinness portrayed Adolf Hitler in Hitler: The Last Ten Days (1973). Robert Carlyle portrayed Adolf Hitler in 'Hitler: The Rise of Evil (2003)' (TV), while Ewan McGregor succeeded him in the role of Obi-Wan Kenobi. more
Goofs:
Crew or equipment visible: When Renton is in his bedroom being forced off heroin by his parents and the baby is crawling across the roof towards him after Sickboy has made an appearance, there is a close-up shot of Renton cowering against the pillow. The shadow of the camera is visible against his face and the pillow. more
Quotes:
[first lines]
Mark "Rent-boy" Renton: [narrating] Choose Life. Choose a job. Choose a career. Choose a family. Choose a fucking big television, choose washing machines, cars, compact disc players and electrical tin openers. Choose good health, low cholesterol, and dental insurance. Choose fixed interest mortgage repayments. Choose a starter home. Choose your friends. Choose leisurewear and matching luggage. Choose a three-piece suite on hire purchase in a range of fucking fabrics. Choose DIY and wondering who the fuck you are on Sunday morning. Choose sitting on that couch watching mind-numbing, spirit-crushing game shows, stuffing fucking junk food into your mouth. Choose rotting away at the end of it all, pissing your last in a miserable home, nothing more than an embarrassment to the selfish, fucked up brats you spawned to replace yourselves. Choose your future. Choose life... But why would I want to do a thing like that? I chose not to choose life. I chose somethin' else. And the reasons? There are no reasons. Who needs reasons when you've got heroin?
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in The Supermarket (2009) more
Soundtrack:
Atomic more

FAQ

A Note Regarding Spoilers
Why is it called "Trainspotting"?
What happened to the baby?
more
62 out of 90 people found the following comment useful:-
My new favorite movie, 22 June 2000
10/10
Author: MaderR from Andover, MN

Trainspotting is the best movie I've ever seen! Danny Boyle did a excellent job of directing a movie based on Irvine Welsh's bestselling novel about desperate and hopeless Scottish heroin addicts. And all the cast did a superb job acting some of the most outrageous and offensive characters I've ever seen. The only downside of this movie is understanding those thick Scottish accents, but that also adds a bit of humor to the movie.

What I liked best about Trainspotting was the characters. They were the most unbelievable low-life, junky, sleazy, immoral, trash I've ever seen. I loved it! They'll make you both despise and pity them while loving them at the same time.

And the plot (which can be credited to Irvine Welsh) was unbelievable. Although some of the shocking elements this movie had distracted me from the story at first, repeated viewings of it made me appreciate it as one of the most profound stories ever.

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Trainspotting (1996)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
We need a Remake! yaniv_ilanotv2
What drama comedy books like Trainspotting,do you want film adapted ? Keymaker789
A question for Scottish people crankcall
Glue stevewalrus
Renton a bit stupid for robbing the other? henjujohn
Gravity's Rainbow allusion? shepconn34
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