Trainspotting (1996): cast, story & where to watch
1996 · Film · ★ 8
Released in 1996, Trainspotting is a drama and crime film directed by Danny Boyle, running about 94 minutes. “Choose life.” — that tagline sets the tone.
What it’s about. Heroin addict Mark Renton stumbles through bad ideas and sobriety attempts with his unreliable friends -- Sick Boy, Begbie, Spud and Tommy. He also has an underage girlfriend, Diane, along for the ride. After cleaning up and moving from Edinburgh to London, Mark finds he can't escape the life he left behind when Begbie shows up at his front door on the lam, and a scheming Sick Boy follows.
Who’s in it. Trainspotting stars Ewan McGregor as Mark "Rent Boy" Renton, Ewen Bremner as Daniel "Spud" Murphy, Jonny Lee Miller as Simon "Sick Boy" Williamson and Robert Carlyle as Francis "Franco" Begbie, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 8.0/10, Trainspotting sits among the best-reviewed titles in the catalogue. It went on to earn $16.5M at the box office.
Where to watch. In US you can rent or buy it from Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home and Plex. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Trainspotting page.
If you liked it. Fans of Trainspotting tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch Trainspotting (1996)?
- In US, Trainspotting is available to rent or buy from Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and Fandango At Home. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is Trainspotting worth watching?
- Trainspotting holds an audience score of 8.0 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy drama and crime. Most viewers rate it highly.
- Who stars in Trainspotting?
- Trainspotting stars Ewan McGregor, Ewen Bremner, Jonny Lee Miller, Robert Carlyle and Kelly Macdonald.
- When was Trainspotting released?
- Trainspotting was released in 1996, with a runtime of about 94 minutes.