On general release from Fri 20 Apr
Rob Heydon / Canada / 2011 / 99min
The opening monologue of Trainspotting is probably one of the most iconic pieces of cinema in the last twenty years. If freedom of choice and whether we have it was a relevant political question in the nineties, it is more so in the twenty-first century. Ecstasy follows Lloyd (Adam Sinclair), a twenty-eight year old dealer from Leith, making his way in the gritty underworld of a culture that is desperate for an alternative, an escape and the ultimate high.
The narration has that rough textured poetry that compliments a strong Scottish accent found often in Welsh’s work; he uses words to their full rhythmic potential. Billy Boyd’s character, Woodsy, churns out many a spiel defending them as products of an oppressive conservative society; he may be drug dependent and “a-bit-mental”, but he has a point. It quickly becomes clear that cleaning-up and changing is less a matter of will, and more of money. A lot has changed since 1996, and following TV shows like Skins, Ecstasy will no doubt appeal to a much broader pop-cultured audience. It’s a heavyweight, dark, romantic comedy with a clear political statement: you can’t ‘choose life’ if you’re not given the option. And if there was ever a need for Welsh to champion the underdogs of Scottish society, it’s now.