trainspotting essay
Trainspotting is a 1996 british social realism film about the struggles of heroin addicts in 90s Scotland, it raises multiple different opinions and ideologies about addiction and the effect it has on society, also how the social acceptance of the heroin addicts can be clearly recognized by certain scenes in the movie. The context of the film is also extremely relevant to the plot and Ideologies of the film, since the 90s Scotland has been the worst country in Europe for deaths from drug related to deaths, even today this is still a major issue for the country, this made drug overdoses and drug addictions a focus point of Scottish media which increased the social awareness of the crisis. Even during the production of the film to understand the impact of the addiction Ewan Mcgregor went to a drug addiction recovery clinic to research the mannerisms and thoughts of an addict, going to the lengths to learn how to make heroin from one of the people in rehabilitation.
The film starts with a close up shot of rentons feet as he runs from the police, during the chase sequence Renton then starts his narration listing off all the things normal members of society can choose to by such as a "large fucking telly or an electric tin opener" these are things Renton feels he cannot by due to the path of life he has chosen, this scene will also be mirrored at the end of the movie when Renton steals the drug money feeling he has a second chance now believing he can afford the items, also Renton has the mindset that he doesn't need these items such as "dental insurance and cars" because he has his drugs he feels safe and that he doesn't need the accessories and utilities which are available to people now, believing he can survive on the bare essentials to fund his addiction. Renton However does have one on the most positive progressive and most normalised ideology throughout the film after his forced sober-up from heroin after his brush with death. After this point Renton tries to become a functioning member of society by obtaining a job buying a flat and even taking a negative approach to drugs no longer wanting to participate in taking heroin, only being dragged back into his drug taking ways when he is pressured by his friends and peers to take heroin once more.
Another character who has a strange view on addiction is Begbie, although he doesn't use heroin saying "why would I inject that shit into my veins" only engaging in the world of drugs or when it can make him some easy money. Ironically he denounces heroin while smoking and drinking which are two other highly addictive and dangerous substances which can also harm the human body severely, this is a commentary on society and how we can accept substances such as alcohol and tobacco which can claim just as many lives and be just as addictive as heroin. He embodies the arrogant population who will openly denounce and never use drugs, but will do nothing to prevent or help people who are suffering, while also harming themselves in other legal ways, it can also engage the debate of weihter all of theses things should be illegal or legal and why are only curtain addictions illegal.
Spud is also a character which embodies a trait in society, he is the group of people who are helpless, the people who went down the path of drugs and due to there lack of skills and intelligence the cannot escape the life they have made for themselves, we see this all the way from the start of the movie when he is stealing with Renton but Spud gets all the blame because he was being used as a scapegoat. Later on he is then seen having an overdose on the pavement showing how vulnerable and how he is the victim only wanting to help others shown by him wanting to spend his cut of the money on his nan.
Tommy is another example of an innocent person previously against heroin use who eventually became and addict after a hard time in his life, his situation was very similar to Spuds in which he was a kind man who went down the path of drugs, people like Tommy and Spud would use Heroin as a form of escapism, to get away from reality and this would eventually kill Tommy. The death of one of the main characters in such a topical way which was an extreme concern for the time adds a layer of realism making it out and sending a message to the viewer that anyone who takes drugs such as heroin can die no matter how much or little they have taken.
The reaction to Rentons near death experience by the people who interact with is very daunting because of the lack of care people show towards his body. In the scene the "mother superior" of the addicts dragged him down the stairs hitting his head of the steps, instead of carrying him like a sensible person, he then dumps his body in the middle of the road and instead of calling an ambulance, he calls a taxi to avoid the legal repercussions and pays the taxi to drive to the hospital with Renton and leave him outside. The calmness of this situation makes it feel like it is a regular occurance and there is nothing strange about what's happening because of how calm the taxi driver, hospital staff who find Renton and the mother superior are during the transportation of a dying man. This helps emphasise the drug problem in Scotland and how all these people have had this happen before and seen it happen to others by the way they are acting around the overdosed body.
In conclusion Trainspotting portrays many different sides to drug addiction, the motives of the addicts, and even some ethical debates on the legality of drugs and why drugs, alcohol and tobacco are so different and what sets them apart from each other?
The film starts with a close up shot of rentons feet as he runs from the police, during the chase sequence Renton then starts his narration listing off all the things normal members of society can choose to by such as a "large fucking telly or an electric tin opener" these are things Renton feels he cannot by due to the path of life he has chosen, this scene will also be mirrored at the end of the movie when Renton steals the drug money feeling he has a second chance now believing he can afford the items, also Renton has the mindset that he doesn't need these items such as "dental insurance and cars" because he has his drugs he feels safe and that he doesn't need the accessories and utilities which are available to people now, believing he can survive on the bare essentials to fund his addiction. Renton However does have one on the most positive progressive and most normalised ideology throughout the film after his forced sober-up from heroin after his brush with death. After this point Renton tries to become a functioning member of society by obtaining a job buying a flat and even taking a negative approach to drugs no longer wanting to participate in taking heroin, only being dragged back into his drug taking ways when he is pressured by his friends and peers to take heroin once more.
Another character who has a strange view on addiction is Begbie, although he doesn't use heroin saying "why would I inject that shit into my veins" only engaging in the world of drugs or when it can make him some easy money. Ironically he denounces heroin while smoking and drinking which are two other highly addictive and dangerous substances which can also harm the human body severely, this is a commentary on society and how we can accept substances such as alcohol and tobacco which can claim just as many lives and be just as addictive as heroin. He embodies the arrogant population who will openly denounce and never use drugs, but will do nothing to prevent or help people who are suffering, while also harming themselves in other legal ways, it can also engage the debate of weihter all of theses things should be illegal or legal and why are only curtain addictions illegal.
Spud is also a character which embodies a trait in society, he is the group of people who are helpless, the people who went down the path of drugs and due to there lack of skills and intelligence the cannot escape the life they have made for themselves, we see this all the way from the start of the movie when he is stealing with Renton but Spud gets all the blame because he was being used as a scapegoat. Later on he is then seen having an overdose on the pavement showing how vulnerable and how he is the victim only wanting to help others shown by him wanting to spend his cut of the money on his nan.
Tommy is another example of an innocent person previously against heroin use who eventually became and addict after a hard time in his life, his situation was very similar to Spuds in which he was a kind man who went down the path of drugs, people like Tommy and Spud would use Heroin as a form of escapism, to get away from reality and this would eventually kill Tommy. The death of one of the main characters in such a topical way which was an extreme concern for the time adds a layer of realism making it out and sending a message to the viewer that anyone who takes drugs such as heroin can die no matter how much or little they have taken.
The reaction to Rentons near death experience by the people who interact with is very daunting because of the lack of care people show towards his body. In the scene the "mother superior" of the addicts dragged him down the stairs hitting his head of the steps, instead of carrying him like a sensible person, he then dumps his body in the middle of the road and instead of calling an ambulance, he calls a taxi to avoid the legal repercussions and pays the taxi to drive to the hospital with Renton and leave him outside. The calmness of this situation makes it feel like it is a regular occurance and there is nothing strange about what's happening because of how calm the taxi driver, hospital staff who find Renton and the mother superior are during the transportation of a dying man. This helps emphasise the drug problem in Scotland and how all these people have had this happen before and seen it happen to others by the way they are acting around the overdosed body.
In conclusion Trainspotting portrays many different sides to drug addiction, the motives of the addicts, and even some ethical debates on the legality of drugs and why drugs, alcohol and tobacco are so different and what sets them apart from each other?
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