Danny Boyle Retrospective/Ranking
A newly discovered favorite working right now.
Introduction
Howdy, movieholics! Time for my next director ranking/retrospective: Danny Boyle. Starting his career in the entertainment back in 1982 in the live theater scene and in 1987 by working in producing for BBC Northern Island, Danny Boyle would then go on to direct his first movie: Shallow Grave, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival back in 1994. From then on, he would go on to become who I consider to be one of the most unique auteurs working in Hollywood today. How he is able to balance the bleak realities of the world while also showcasing how there is always a sense of hope & humanity in said world, his experimental tendencies in filmmaking through his playful approaches to shooting & editing his works, and how he incorporates pre-existing music makes him someone to always be on the lookout for whenever he has something new coming out. And to celebrate his legacy as well as the release of his new film, 28 Years Later, I figured I would take a look at ALL the films he has directed and give my thoughts on all of them. The only rule here is that I am not counting any TV movies and am only going by his theatrically released works.
Anyways, without further ado, let’s begin!
14. A Life Less Ordinary (1997)
Not only is A Life Less Ordinary the worst film in Danny Boyle’s filmography, but I would go as far as to say it is one of the worst movies that I have seen in quite some time. To put into words why this movie is a failure in EVERY manner would take up a massive chunk of my life on Earth, but simply put: it is a complete cinematic disaster. It has been a while since I have seen a film with the most lazy writing coupled with the most infuriating lead characters I have watched in a long time only for it all to be topped with a combination of Danny Boyle’s most inept direction and the most banal, aggravating plot in ANY of his movies. Both Robert & Celine show NO reason as to why they should be a romantic couple by the end of the movie as they share no chemistry together and are clearly not meant for each other as they constantly be idiotically terrible towards one another, but the movie ends with them being a couple because we have to have some form of a happy ending, do we? The plot, in general, is a consistent stream of repetitive nonsense involving these two bickering at each other and occasionally being interrupted by shenanigans involving two angels named O’Reilly & Jackson (two characters that seem like the best part of the movie, but even they overstay their welcome), which makes for a droning experience watching this movie unfold as none of this is funny, engaging, or sweet in the slightest. Speaking of which, the tone for this movie is all over the place as it keeps shifting between trying to be action-packed, melodramatic (in the most irritating way), darkly humorous, and romantic without any attempt in making these tonal shifts feel organic at all. It just results in a ton of whiplash due to the lack of consistency in maintaining a set tone for the entire runtime.
This results in the biggest problem I have with A Life Less Ordinary: it has practically NO idea what it wants to be. It is obvious throughout the entire movie that there is no clear vision for what it wants to be. If this movie was trying to be a dark romantic comedy filled with action scenes, it fails because not only does it do all of these genres constantly feel like they are always messing with the tone, but the movie doesn’t even do these genres well at all. It is a poor exploration on the concept of love, none of the action or humor is worthwhile, and it does not have the interesting characters (or even that good of acting from the cast) to make up for it. Because of this, I felt completely empty by the end of A Life Less Ordinary as it left me with questions regarding what the point/message was supposed to be and what it was trying to be in the first place. All that I know is that it is an abysmal failure of a movie that I hope I never see again.
Rating: F (0/10)
Where To Watch: Rent/VOD
13. The Beach (2000)
The Beach is one of those films that made me question whether it was an unintentional parody of arthouse cinema or not. Yes, it does have its string of good qualities including the production values, Darius Khondji’s cinematography having some beautiful moments (even if it’s butchered by most of the film looking bland and unappealing in terms of its color palette and camerawork), and a really good score by Angelo Badalamenti, but they were not enough to make up for how simultaneously pretentious and superficial the whole movie is. It’s want to paint a dark portrait of what happens when your hopes & dreams of paradise come true and take a wrong turn, but it explores it all without any sense of dexterity at all. The plot & main character, Richard, are the most cliched you could think of for what could be an intriguing story on-paper and there is even a lot of pointless padding that was not needed. It takes forever to get to the darker portion of the story and even when it tries to be effective in portraying an existential nightmare for Richard, it falls flat due to the lack of bite in its tone and mood, leading to a climax that feels so insignificant in the process.
I was also not very impressed with Danny Boyle’s direction here. After Shallow Grave & Trainspotting proving that he has the goods to continue showing off his prowess in this department, his direction for The Beach constantly feels like it is missing his quintessential kinetic spark in his cinematic language to add to this film’s story & atmosphere. As a result, you are left with some of his most pedestrian direction to date backed up with a terrible screenplay containing a ton of aforementioned filler, weak dialogue, and an obnoxiously unnecessary amount of narration that felt like it was feeding information that I didn’t need being told to me. It doesn’t help that most of the performances here were really bad, with the only exception being Tilda Swinton who even then gives an OK performance at best. Leonardo DiCaprio tries his best, but I don’t like the way that his performance was directed or the way that Richard was written as a character, the people who live on the island (again, Swinton excluded) came off as cartoonish caricatures, and Virgine Ledoyen & Guillaume Canet cannot act out of a paper bag.
Unfortunately, The Beach may have had some neat ideas that could have been delved into better had Boyle packed more confidence in the director’s chair and writer Alex Garland (excuse me???) brought more boldness in the screenplay department, but said ideas were squandered by a boring, trite, clumsy final product that thinks that it’s saying more than it actually is, making for a disappointingly frustrating cinematic experience.
Rating: D+ (3/10)
Where To Watch: The Criterion Channel(???), Rent/VOD
12. Trance (2013)
I’m going to keep my thoughts on Trance brief because to tell you the truth… this movie was bland & forgettable. I appreciate the themes that are being explored here, the actors are clearly trying their best, and Danny Boyle also puts in a decent effort in bringing some sort of life to the film through his style, but these positives were not really enough to make up for such a lacking screenplay. The plot meanders endlessly after its admittedly intriguing first act and there are way better movies out there that tackle memory and the line between fiction & reality in more interesting, complex ways. Plus, the writing leans heavily on a ton of exposition for the entire runtime, even in areas where it doesn’t feel needed in the first place. None of the characters really stood out to me either as I felt they were just one-dimensional pawns designed for the movie’s ideas rather than feeling like fully fleshed out characters with actual motives. As far as acting goes, James McAvoy & Vincent Cassel seem like they are trying to bring something to very mediocre material, but Rosario Dawson felt painfully robotic in her line deliveries and is really there to deliver countless minutes of exposition, resulting in a bland performance at best.
I feel like that perfectly sums up Trance: it’s a middling, emotionally flat thriller that begins nicely, but eventually starts to lose your attention more & more as it goes on due to how aggressively average it is in execution despite having an interesting idea on paper.
Rating: C (5/10)
Where To Watch: Rent/VOD
11. Millions (2004)
The only family movie in Danny Boyle’s filmography, Millions is what I describe as a more kid-friendly version of Shallow Grave. Both movies feature similar premises involving characters whose greed gets the best of them after finding a huge amount of money, but this one has a more religious undertone to it in how it explores its idea of right vs wrong and the main character, Damian, recognizing that he may have committed a crime by stealing even though he didn’t really steal it from anyone. While all of this is good and all (plus I appreciate the message it’s going for given how this movie is primarily for kids), the rest of the movie is just… decent. The acting is decent, the filmmaking is decent, the plot is decent… it’s just a perfectly digestible, if unremarkable, film as a whole. Same applies to Danny Boyle’s direction here, which definitely has his signature style attached to it, but it’s not really the best showcase of his talents as a director. One thing that really bugged me though is how needlessly brisk the editing was at certain points, as there are scenes that contained double the cuts than they needed. The most obvious culprit being during the last 30 minutes when the homeless man from earlier pops up at one point and Damian runs away from him. One portion of the scene that would’ve just needed 2 or 3 cuts throughout contains twice the amount, which is something that did bug me a bit every now and then throughout the rest of the film.
My apologies if I have nothing left to say about Millions from here on out, but really… there’s not much to add here. It is a perfectly OK family movie that has good life lessons for kids, but it just made me wish that I was rewatching Shallow Grave instead.
Rating: C+ (6/10)
Where To Watch: Disney+(?????)
10. Yesterday (2019)
Perhaps this is because I have a bias when it comes to movies about music (complimentary) and the fact that I love The Beatles so much, but Yesterday was just as cute and enjoyable as I remembered it being when I first watched it. Through the use of said band’s music and the lovable on-screen presence of our leading man Himesh Patel, Yesterday tells a lovely story about how powerful music is and the ability it has to bring people together. Are there other movies that tackle this theme better? Yes, sure. But regardless, I found myself endeared by the movie’s message (especially given how legendary the legacy of The Beatles’ is even to this day) as well as how generally charming it is from start to finish. There are some great usage of classic Beatles’ songs throughout the movie and the cast all give likable performances, with the main MVP being Lily James giving a delightful performance as Ellie. Is the movie perfect? No. The plot runs into cliched territory and is not the best to detail a story about a man’s rise to fame in the music industry (with a plot twist that happens near the third act that made me confused), the last 30 to 40 minutes drag from a pacing standpoint, and Danny Boyle’s direction here feel slight in a manner that feels like you are watching a directorial debut (which fits OK for a romantic comedy, but it’s not quite on the same level as his previous works).
I feel like that sums up Yesterday in a nutshell: it may not be Danny Boyle’s best film as it does have flaws in his direction and how the plot is handled that had me underwhelmed, but nonetheless I was still won over enough by its sweet story, themes, and characters to a point where it feels like a worthwhile inclusion in Boyle’s filmography.
Rating: B (7/10)
Where To Watch: Rent/VOD
9. T2: Trainspotting (2017)
While T2 Trainspotting may not reach the same highs as its predecessor, I still found this to be a very good movie in its own special way. Whereas the original was a pitch dark comedy that served as a terrifying portrayal of the ghastliness of drug addiction and the effects it can leave on you, T2 Trainspotting is more in the vein of a slice-of-life, hangout movie where the characters you know & love from the first one reunite with each other and look back on all the memories they shared together. However, there is also an underlying sense of betrayal that Begbie, Simon, & Spud feel towards Mark (played by Ewan McGregor) after he steals the money from the end of the first movie, which leads to some engaging dynamics between all four characters while still retaining most of the humor from the original. This may seem like a huge departure from the first Trainspotting for some people, but I did appreciate Danny Boyle and writer John Hodge for trying to take this story & these characters into a different direction by making this movie feel more lowkey at times while retaining the original’s charm. The excellent performances are still there (with Robert Carlyle being the main MVP here), the kinetic cinematography & editing are still there, the solid soundtrack is still there, the dark sense of humor is still there (even if I didn’t laugh quite as much as I did with the original), EVERYTHING from the first Trainspotting is still here but still having its own mold.
Where the movie falters a bit is in certain choices regarding the pacing & writing. There are a couple subplots that are included in this film and while they’re not horrible or anything, I don’t feel like they were really necessary. The subplot involving Begbie with his family & Spud’s subplot are neat ideas on-paper, but the execution resulted in the movie feeling like it was overstaying its welcome after a while. The second half of the movie, in general, is where it started to run out of steam until we got to the climax, which (to its credit) is a legitimately good, intense one that I was not expecting at all. Also, while I don’t consider this to be a HUGE problem with the movie, but I did miss the more scummy look of the original in comparison to the more clean look that this one had. Again, it wasn’t a massive flaw for me because this movie does make up for it with its beautiful color palette, but I did kind of miss the grungy look of the original and how much personality it added to said film.
However, in spite of its missteps, T2 Trainspotting is still an extremely good sequel that pays respect to the original (even using archival footage from said movie in an intelligent manner) while still creating a voice for itself by taking a new direction with its story & characters that genuinely works rather than coming off as pandering & flat.
Rating: B+ (8.5/10)
Where To Watch: Rent/VOD
8. Slumdog Millionaire (2008)
Slumdog Millionaire is a movie that received a ton of controversy back when it won the Oscar for Best Picture of 2008 due to the fact that it beat out many other beloved films from that year, especially The Dark Knight (which wasn’t even nominated in said category). Well, after finally seeing it for the first time, I… don’t entirely agree with this controversy. This is a very great movie that tells the story of a young man reflecting on his life in India from his childhood up until his current teenage years with his appearance of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire as part of the movie’s framework. The usage of said game is a very clever that ties brilliantly into the film’s themes of choice & free will in a country ridden with poverty. Speaking of which, I love how this movie showcases both the hardships but also the beautifully sprinkled moments of reward found in Jamal’s life as he tries to live in a home country of low wealth (even finding some side jobs as a tourist guide & working at a restaurant in brief scenes) and finally reaching a lucky moment in his life with his inclusion in Who Wants To Be A Millionaire. Sure there are some movies that handle this type of storyline a little bit better, but this one still managed to keep me invested in Jamal’s journey regardless of that and the performances from each actor playing Jamal (one of them being the wonderful Dev Patel) are all fantastic.
My only real issues with the film are in the form of a couple of nitpicks I had with some of the filmmaking here & there. It is a well-directed & crafted film for the most part (which is the case with most of Danny Boyle’s movies) with a really good soundtrack, but there were some choices made with the cinematography & editing that I wasn’t too crazy about. From an editing standpoint, the usage of slow-mo combined with lowered frame rate came off as a distraction that took me out a couple times at first, but thankfully they start to die down the more the film goes on (as well as looking a bit better in execution). Meanwhile, the cinematography by Anthony Dod Mantle contains a ton of dutch angles and I don’t feel like they fitted EVERY scene, but it does make up for it through the use of a strong color palette along with solid camerawork even if the shaky cam was also a bit much at times.
Even in spite of its minor clunkiness in its presentation though, Slumdog Millionaire is yet another case of Danny Boyle proving that he can make a dazzlingly stylish movie that never loses its heart at all. Would it have been my pick for Best Picture? Nah. Not really. That would go towards In Bruges, but I still found this to be a worthy Best Picture winner that has a lot going for it.
Rating: A- (9/10)
Where To Watch: Rent/VOD
7. Shallow Grave (1994)
Marking the directorial debut of Danny Boyle, Shallow Grave is a very impressive start of a career for one of the most versatile directors working today. With this film, he combines action, dark humor, and even a little bit of horror to tell a bleak yet compelling story about three people whose friendship gets to put to the test once they find their flatmate dead on his bed with only a huge briefcase full of money left. Greed plays a central part of the story as all three main characters try to figure out what to do with the money and determine what the right moral choice would be for them to do, making for a ton of enticing drama that pulls you in with its main conflict as these characters constantly make decisions that may not be the best and yet you still understand where they are coming from. The performances from Kerry Fox, Ewan McGregor, and Christopher Eccleston are also fantastic work that leers you into the characters they portray regardless of how horrible they can be as people, with Eccleston being a particularly standout that has a wonderful scene during the climax where he expresses a powerful sense of simultaneous anger & sadness in such a potent manner.
Plus, for Boyle’s directorial debut, I found myself impressed with the filmmaking here. Sure there are a couple touches of it here & there that feel a bit “first time director syndrome”-ish, but I was mostly very happy with it. There are some frequently neat choices done with the cinematography (along with the blocking & staging) and the editing is really good, even if it feels a bit languid compared to his later works. I also really liked the soundtrack for this film, with a solid musical score by Simon Boswell and a great usage of songs at certain points, with my biggest shoutout going to the music during the opening credits. It’s the type of music that gets you excited for what the movie has in store and it is just strong music all-around.
With all this said, Shallow Grave is a fantastic debut for Danny Boyle that is a mixture of funny, intense, and shocking all in one. Sure it may feel more on the lightweight side of things compared to what he would work on next, but it is still a superb beginning to Boyle’s interesting work as a director.
Rating: A (9.5/10)
Where To Watch: Rent/VOD
6. 28 Years Later (2025)
I already have a whole review dedicated to this film on this page if you want to check it out, but simply put, 28 Years Laters is just flat out phenomenal! The fact that movie can be equally enjoyed regardless of your history with this franchise is already a massive feat, but it also shows that Danny Boyle still hasn’t lost his touch yet as a filmmaker. His energetic style feels refreshing to see on the big screen compared to most big Hollywood productions we’ve been getting this year and you can tell that he is just having a ball behind the camera in each frame of how the film is presented all-around. Plus, the movie serves as a natural, emotional continuation of the original 28 Days Later, particularly in its themes and showcasing how much the world has evolved since said film (especially when you see the zombies in this). If anything, it is reminiscent of T2: Trainspotting in that sense as both films expand upon their predecessors while also steering them into new territory that peaks your interest as you are watching it.
As I said in my review, I think the first half is a little weaker than the second half from a story & character standpoint. It’s not bad per se and I still enjoyed it overall, but it takes a while to find itself stride. Despite this though, 28 Years Later is just a sensational movie that can be viewed in multiple ways whether you have a connection with the franchise or not. It only may be ALMOST as good as the original film, but given the movie that came beforehand, that is a gigantic achievement alone.
Rating: A (9.5/10)
Where To Watch: In Theaters Now
5. 28 Day Later (2002)
Carving a new, significant path for the zombie sub-genre, 28 Days Later is one of those films that was highly revolutionary at the time because of its modern portrayals of said creatures with the framework of a pandemic that occurs through a virus that infects you by blood contact. If anything, I feel like this is a film that means so much more now than it did back then given some virus-related shenanigans in 2020 that I do not want to get into right now. Despite taking place in a dystopia where the world is plagued by an infection known as The Rage Virus, 28 Days Later still finds a way to inject a compassionate heart in how it explores what it means to find a sense of human connection even in the event of dark times. Of course, Danny Boyle & writer Alex Garland still holds no punches in how they showcase how a virus like this can leave a lasting impact on humanity as a whole, which adds so much to the stakes of the story as a result. There are a ton of brutal, gory scenes of zombies (some of the creepiest I have seen in any movie honestly) attacking our main characters that have you wondering if they will make it out of this situation unscathed, and a huge part of it comes from how well-defined & fleshed out they are. Plus, the performances from Cillian Murphy, Naomie Harris, & especially Brendan Gleeson bring a much needed dose of humanity (and even pathos) to an otherwise bleak, uncompromisingly chaotic world the movie inhabits.
I know a lot of people have dogged on Anthony Dod Mantle’s cinematography and how the VHS-esque aesthetic doesn’t work for them, but I honestly loved that about it. It makes it look so distinct from a visual standpoint in comparison to most horror movies and it adds so much to the creepy sense of atmosphere it creates. Plus, it meshes well with Danny Boyle’s typically playful style of direction and the great practical effects to craft a ton of tense, dynamic action scenes that carry a lot of narrative weight. Between this and something like Sunshine, Danny Boyle proves that he can handle action filmmaking wonderfully and briskly without an ounce of his aura in the director’s chair being compromised, making for a film that particularly scores in the cinematography & editing departments. It also helps that the aforementioned special effects and the sound design add massive unease to an already dark, disturbing film.
In short, 28 Days Later is an all-timer in the zombie subgenre and is one of the most iconic horror films of the 21st century for a reason. It offers the right mixture of effective horror, exciting action, and humanistic storytelling all through the mind of a director who continues to prove how versatile he can be behind the camera.
Rating: A+ (10/10)
Where To Watch: Pluto TV, Rent/VOD
4. 127 Hours (2010)
This is my second viewing of 127 Hours since first seeing it back in 2020 during the pandemic, so a lot of this movie felt new to me on this rewatch. Right off the bat, I gotta say… whew… I really needed a breather after this. This movie is one that will have you stressed from start to finish as Aaron (played by James Franco) continuously struggles to escape from a canyon after getting his arm stuck by a boulder. Based on a true story, 127 Hours showcases the trials and tribulations that come with getting yourself out of a situation that might seem near impossible to get out of while adding a hidden layer of anxiety-inducing claustrophobia to it all through the use of tight blocking & staging. In general, Danny Boyle brings a ton of visceral intensity to Aaron’s journey through his usual strengths as a director, particularly in his topsy-turvy yet still precise editing (along with help from editor Jon Harris), the brilliant use of sound to create a feeling of unease during the more gruesome moments in the film, and Anthony Dod Mantle’s cinematography matches up with Boyle’s direction to bring that aforementioned claustrophobic mood to life through the camerawork, shot compositions, and framing.
At the same time, however, Boyle & co-writer Simon Beaufoy also manage to bring a much needed sense of humanity & optimism to an otherwise dark story without coming off as too cheesy. At its core, this is a classic tale (based on a true story) about a man doing whatever it takes to fight for what he believes in, never giving up on his goal, and always maintaining the will to live even when he is in a position where his life depends on it. I can see people finding this all to clichéd, but it constantly kept me engaged throughout its runtime (plus, to its credit, it is a remarkable and tautly paced version of this type of story) and James Franco is a rock solid anchor for the film that brings a ton of commitment, humor, and pathos to Aaron all at the same time and makes every choice in his performance pay off big time. Because of all this, I consider 127 Hours to be one of the best survival films ever made. Much like he does with the next true story-based movie you’ll see on this list, he takes attributes in storytelling that may seem rehashed or boring on-paper and transforms them into something that hooks you from beginning to end without letting you go.
Rating: A+ (10/10)
Where To Watch: Rent/VOD
3. Sunshine (2007)
The second (third if The Beach counts?) collaboration between Danny Boyle and writer Alex Garland, Sunshine is by far their best outing as a filmmaking duo as they spectacularly execute a thought-provoking sci-fi thriller that asks a ton of questions regarding both our actions and general existence as a human species. Seeing all these characters clashing between one another as their ideologies are put to the test during an integral mission allows for a deeply complex, nuanced portrayal of choosing the lives of others over anything else along with other underlying themes of religion and science as part of the bigger picture that the film presents. On top of this, the film also gives you a ton of intense, borderline unsettling scenes that burn into your mind the more it progresses, with many sequences that are a unique blend of action & horror that I did not see coming whatsoever. Plus, as per most great Danny Boyle films, his directing along with the overall craft of the movie features a lot to behold. The editing by Chris Gill adds a lot to the intensity of various sequences, the cinematography by Alwin H. Küchler is some of the most gorgeous in any Boyle film, the effects are incredible, the musical score by John Murphy is phenomenal, and all of the performances were amazing in their own way, particularly Chris Evans as Mace, who really needs to star in movies like this more often.
Overall, Sunshine is without a doubt a successful effort from Danny Boyle in creating a sci-fi film that simultaneously keeps you on the edge of your seat while also leaving you with a lot to dissect and think about once the movie is over, which alone is proof that Boyle can handle almost any genre regardless of the quality of the film itself.
Rating: A+ (10/10)
Where To Watch: Rent/VOD
2. Steve Jobs (2015)
Danny Boyle’s stylish approach to directing being paired up with Aaron Sorkin’s writing in a biopic about Steve Jobs? Oh, this is a recipe for something brilliant, and it turns out… it is. Even though I usually find biopics to be hit or miss because of how all over the place they are in execution (especially given how it depends on the filmmaking team on deck), Steve Jobs is a rare instance of having a ton of qualities from a typical biopic, but actually making them work. By far one of the biggest reasons why this is comes from the always impeccable writing from Aaron Sorkin, which is just a joy to watch unfold on-screen AND listen to at the same time. The dialogue in most of his films is the type that constantly keeps you invested in the story to see what is going to happen next and this film is no exception to the rule. But not only is the dialogue in this film so sharp & engaging, but it also does a terrific job in portraying the life of our titular main character being consumed by his own ego & ambitions, which are stories that really interest me when it comes to media in general. Despite being a genius, you also get the sense that he is not a perfect human being, particularly in how he neglects his daughter that he claims is not his, culminating into a sweet ending that hits you right in the feels.
Along with the writing, the rest of the film is just sensational on all fronts. Danny Boyle’s typical confidence in the director’s chair is still present here and makes use of every component of the filmmaking process to create a biopic that feels more distinctive presentation-wise than most. The different types of film stock for each year that the movie depicts matched with the cinematography by Alwin H. Küchler adds a dynamic quality to the overall visual presentation, the editing has all the same keen touches as his previous films while also giving the film a consistently precise, fluid pace that makes you feel like you are watching something less than two hours long, and he works with his actors to craft strong performances that match the persistent highs of the material they are working with. Speaking of which, the acting is all phenomenal altogether, with the easy MVP being Michael Fassbender playing Steve Jobs with a captivating mix of solipsistic intensity while also finding chances to showcase the humanity of the man in a powerful fashion. Other major shoutouts in the cast include Kate Winslet, Jeff Daniels, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Seth Rogen.
Overall, Steve Jobs held up even more on this rewatch (I only found it “really good” when I first saw it a decade ago) and is by far one of Danny Boyle’s best movies. While it may seem like a standard biopic on the surface, Boyle uses his style along with Aaron Sorkin’s screenplay to prove that even a biopic of this nature can be handled with all the smarts of a more unconventional take on the genre.
Rating: A+ (10/10)
Where To Watch: Rent/VOD
1. Trainspotting (1996)
Trainspotting has always been one of those classics from the 90s that has always caught my attention, but I never got around to it for some strange reason. However, that has officially changed due to this retrospective, and… wow. I can’t believe it took me THIS long to finally watch, but I’ve done it. I’ve finally done it and it has become an instant new favorite for me. Everything from how it explores drug addiction in such a hauntingly authentic manner but still containing a positive message tied to self-discovery/identity, to the outstanding soundtrack that contains no bad songs at all, to the brilliant dark humor that was present in Shallow Grave being even more clever & biting, to the terrific performances from every cast member (especially Ewan McGregor & Robert Carlyle), to the generally stellar filmmaking on display… this is what I consider to be a perfect movie through & through. Danny Boyle pretty much created his masterpiece here as he steps up his directing game to such celestial heights despite only being his second movie, with some of the striking directorial flourishes and attention to detail in the film’s craft that he has produced in his entire career. Every ounce of this movie’s cinematography, editing, and overall direction make for a stunningly presented film that contains a wonderful style and yet it never gets in the way of its effective storytelling & writing whatsoever.
I wish I had more to say about Trainspotting, but I feel like we all know by now why this movie works on every level. Every minute of it is pure cinematic perfection and is definitely one of the best films to come out of the 90s, which in and of itself was one of the greatest decades for film ever for a reason.
Rating: A+ (10/10)
Where To Watch: Rent/VOD
Conclusion
And that is it for my Danny Boyle ranking/retrospective! Through this journey, he has become one of my most recently discovered favorite directors working right now and I am fully excited for anything else he has moving forward. Plus, this was a particularly interesting ranking/retrospective for me to work on given the little amount of history I’ve had with him as a director. With this post, though, he has cemented himself as an auteur that I adore and one that I hope you guys get the chance to explore his entire filmography.
With that said, let me know what YOUR favorite Danny Boyle movie is in the comments section below and I will see you guys next time!