Drugs and lightning in the bottle!
Presentation:
It’s rare that stoner films get as cinematic as the innovative vision here - Even today there are few films that have the boldness Danny Boyle attempts. The creative cinematography impressively feels like a feature length music video but never at the cost of the narrative. Ewan McGregor nails his role, balancing an endearing yet sleazy delinquent. The dialogue borders on colloquial slang and incomprehensible, but I found it to enhance the script anyway. Music is also wonderfully utilized along with Iggy pop references, making this a ton of fun today. I’ll just say there’s one particularly unexpected scene that left me bursting out loud I almost soiled myself. In some ways I’d describe this film as Euphoria in 90s Scotland, but I think that would be an insult to the magic captured by this film.
Conclusion:
This film is a straight banger start to finish without a single dull moment. Just like the highs in the film, it’s a constant hit of happiness that you’ll never want to conclude. This might be one of the best drug addiction films, which although don’t wholly capture the spiraling addiction like Requiem for a Dream, it certainly is the most entertaining. Refreshing even for 2024, you’ll want to maximize your first viewing. If British films were ever to trump Hollywood cinema, this makes a good argument. The charm captured by Scottish delinquents rivals only that of Skins and still adds something new to the band of misfits genre.
Recommendations
The Mexican border all cinema will get compared to.