The scene begins with Renton sitting crossed legged in the middle of the desolate drug den, the vivid red colouring of the walls being an indicator for danger. The conversation between Renton and ‘Mother Superior’ seems to be one which jokingly mocks the use of heroin, as if it’s a normality, by roleplaying a restaurant scene. The heroin intake is filmed in such an intimate way throughout the scene that it makes it quite hard to watch. The lack of audio, save from the highly emphasised sound effects of the needle, makes it even more intense. To see the drug taking in such an extreme close up gives the audience a chance to decipher their own ideologies about drug intake. It also highlights this one specific scene from the rest for it is so different to the others.
We then see how this is different when Renton falls back onto the ground, sinking into the floor as if he is in a coffin, the red carpet acting as a lining. The point of view shot from Renton shows the reaction of ‘Mother Superior’, who seems unfazed showing the commonness of overdosing. When being dragged the point of view shots from Renton still give the effect of him being trapped due to the lining being around the screen. The quick paced shots of travel to the hospital, by taxi cab to show the lack of care and hiddenness, reflected the drama of the scene, yet the facial expression’s of everyone around showed the normality of the situation.
Renton’s withdrawal scene is one of the most weird scenes of the films, which delves into the fantastical and reflects the aftermath of drug addiction. He is locked in his childhood bedroom, shown by the train wallpaper which is quite ill looking on the walls as the room elongates to show the distance between Renton and the outside world. There are many things in this moment which reflect moments of the film which has happened, and are finally having an impact on Renton for example the baby crawling on the ceiling and Diane in her school uniform. There is also Begbie who acts as a conscience of Renton, as the camera follows him going under the covers we see Begbie and he speaks of how he’ll fight Renton if he steps out of line. This moment also foreshadows the fate of Tommy. We see his shadow first, and then he drags himself against the wall from the left side of the screen to reveal his violently ill and drugged face. The clothes which he wears are the ones which we later see him in when Renton finds out that Tommy is ill
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