Is how the main character goes from being an unemployed addict with no apparent education, to working a well-paid job and having his own property in the middle of London, in what seems like the blink of an eye.
Is there a deleted scene in which he finds a genie's lamp or something?
Well it wasn't instant, the movie doesn't indicate how long it took. But we can assume that he had some help from his parents, he had been clean for awhile, and it's not like he was living it up in London as we see him eating noodles in a sh!tty 1 bedroom crackhouse. So not really that unbelievable for me at least
shareWell it wasn't instant, the movie doesn't indicate how long it took.
But we can assume that he had some help from his parents, he had been clean for awhile,
it's not like he was living it up in London as we see him eating noodles in a sh!tty 1 bedroom crackhouse.
Getting a job in an estate agent isn't that tough. Mark is clearly educated and intelligent enough to impress at the interview. As for his accomodation, it was a crappy bedsit in the early 90s. He could have been on housin benefit.
shareGetting a job in an estate agent isn't that tough.
Mark is clearly educated and intelligent enough to impress at the interview.
It's been some time since I read the book, but Mark spent a lot of time in London as part of a scam to get extra benefits fraudulently. He made quite a lot of friends in London, too. Any of them could have helped him out. Also, he was doing a history degree at university before he got into heroin.
shareThen that's book-only info.
sharewhich means the answer to your original question is: no, there's no deleted scene with a genie. there is, however, an explanation in the book.. which you should read! :)
shareIn case I need to say it, I wasn't being literal about a genie. I was asking what amazing force it would take to lift him from the circumstances he is seen in for most of the film to the success he has in London, seemingly instantly. And in a wholly realistic narrative, such a force doesn't seem possible.
I'm sure the book is worth reading, but this is movie discussion.
hahaha no, you didn't need to say it.. i was being facetious ;)
and yes, looking at JUST the movie, they definitely dropped the ball by not explaining how he got from point A to point B.. i can see how it seems unrealistic.
*whispers* which is why you should read the book...
sorry, did i say that out loud? ;)
You gotta understand that the movie isn't set in our day and age....it's set in the 80's, things were very different back then
shareYes they were, but how does that affect what this topic is discussing?
shareWell, the original post said how Renton went from being a junkie to having a good upstanding job....like i said, it was easier back then to get a good job like that with little concern about your past, so, it goes along perfectly with what this post is about....
Sometimes stupid people need slapped, and i don't mean lightly!!
The concern isn't just about his past, it's his present too. If he was being honest, this is how he'd have to describe himself at the interview:
"Hello. It takes me almost a whole day of travelling just to get here because I live on the other side of the country. There, I live with my parents whilst being unemployed, almost penniless and in trouble with the law. This is largely due to the drug addiction I am grappling with."
I don't think that's quite the greatest job pitch ever.
i don't understand your inability to grasp this. he's clearly not struggling with addiction at this point, since we see him go through the withdrawal process and then tell Tommy he's clean. he's clearly moved. there is clearly enough of a time gap, indicated by his talking about how sometimes he missed his friends but mostly he didn't and that he'd settled in pretty well. the job market is easy to get into, based on his direct quote of "after all, this was boom town, where any fool could make cash from chaos and plenty did." his present is clearly different from his past. so is your issue with this, then, the fact that the movie doesn't lay out every minute of Renton's life from one scene to the next? because, damn, that would be a long movie. it's a safe assumption, based on what we've seen of his past and then what we're shown of his present that he has improved himself. is that such a struggle to believe? he's young, intelligent, and has gotten away from his junkie friends. he's not on heroin anymore, and he likely didn't mention the fact that he'd been an addict at his job interview. in his place, would you have?? he's putting his intelligence to use in a way we, in our age of "you need a college diploma to work anywhere other than McDonalds" job insecurity, couldn't.
i'm beginning to get the feeling you're being obtuse for the sake of argument. either that or you missed all of the clues indicating how he got from point A to point B.
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he's putting his intelligence to use in a way we, in our age of "you need a college diploma to work anywhere other than McDonalds" job insecurity, couldn't.
THANK YOU!!!! LoL. It was like talking to a brick wall, lol
sharehe's clearly not struggling with addiction at this point, since we see him go through the withdrawal process and then tell Tommy he's clean.
there is clearly enough of a time gap, indicated by his talking about how sometimes he missed his friends but mostly he didn't and that he'd settled in pretty well.
the job market is easy to get into, based on his direct quote of "after all, this was boom town, where any fool could make cash from chaos and plenty did."
so is your issue with this, then, the fact that the movie doesn't lay out every minute of Renton's life from one scene to the next? because, damn, that would be a long movie.
it's a safe assumption, based on what we've seen of his past and then what we're shown of his present that he has improved himself. is that such a struggle to believe? he's young, intelligent, and has gotten away from his junkie friends. he's not on heroin anymore,
and he likely didn't mention the fact that he'd been an addict at his job interview. in his place, would you have??
i'm beginning to get the feeling you're being obtuse for the sake of argument. either that or you missed all of the clues indicating how he got from point A to point B.
he could easily have said he was studying at college or university then his mother got sick and he had to drop and take care of her ( he could have lied and said that his father had already passed away before it )
i didn't indicate any specific amount of time - what i did indicate is that he had, indeed, moved there, had been living there for longer than you're making it seem he had, and wasn't commuting from Edinburgh (which was a stupid statement on your part, since he makes it overtly clear he's living there). do a tiny bit of research and you'd see that the housing market had skyrocketed in the late 80s. how difficult do you think it would have been at that point in time, during an economic upswing when unemployment rates were going down and people suddenly had money again, for a young, intelligent man to get an entry-level job selling real estate? because that's what he had - he had a superior over him who was also out showing houses, so Renton clearly wasn't in any managerial position and neither, likely, was his superior, and he was living, as has been pointed out already, in a crappy little bedsit. these are definite improvements from what his prospects had been at the beginning of the movie, but they are nowhere near as idealistic and therefore improbable as you're making them out to be.
that being said, i'll save you the trouble of saying it: none of the economic information or real estate information or job information is mentioned in the movie. therefore, what does it have to do with this thread?
that would be where general knowledge, or the ability to use Google, comes into play. it's a wonderful thing to be able to synthesize information gathered from different sources and see how it pertains to other situations. and had you done a quick Google search rather than spending so much time disagreeing with so many people and points here, you may have realized on your own that you were wrong in the first place.
and yes, giahead33, it really *is* like talking to a brick wall, which i'm finished with now.
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what i did indicate is that he had, indeed, moved there, had been living there for longer than you're making it seem he had, and wasn't commuting from Edinburgh (which was a stupid statement on your part, since he makes it overtly clear he's living there).
do a tiny bit of research and you'd see that the housing market had skyrocketed in the late 80s.
how difficult do you think it would have been at that point in time, during an economic upswing when unemployment rates were going down and people suddenly had money again, for a young, intelligent man to get an entry-level job selling real estate?
he was living, as has been pointed out already, in a crappy little bedsit.
that would be where general knowledge, or the ability to use Google, comes into play. it's a wonderful thing to be able to synthesize information gathered from different sources and see how it pertains to other situations. and had you done a quick Google search rather than spending so much time disagreeing with so many people and points here, you may have realized on your own that you were wrong in the first place.
and yes, giahead33, it really *is* like talking to a brick wall, which i'm finished with now.
As I said earlier, Mark made frequent trips to London as part of a scam in the book. I distinctly remember another character remarking on how Renton always seems to have money when he has no job. I know these details didn't make it to the movie, but I wouldn't worry about it. Someone I know managed to secure a job as a childminder in Australia while living in London within a day of applying despite not having any experience with kids, and in my opinion, being a very irresponsible person. Good things happen for some people, that's just the way of the world.
shareThanks for your response, but was this childminder role anything special? I don't currently see looking after kids as anywhere near as big as working for a property agency in a capital city.
Renton always having money isn't really consistent with him having to shoplift just to raise money for drugs.
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You don't see looking after kids as being as big as working for a property agency. So by your logic, you would care more about the person who was selling your house than the person looking after your kids? To me, that is mental. Any person looking after kids should be trustworthy and responsible to say the least.
I know many people from Scotland that ended up working in London. I myself, living in Dundee, went for a job interview in London. I went in 2012 and it cost me £120 for a flight and that was because I booked at short notice. There are also buses. It's not that hard to get to England for a job interview if needs be. He wouldn't have been travelling back and forth from Scotland for work.
Also, in the 90s UK, it was much easier to get a job without qualifications and there were more jobs to get. Sure there might have been competition but not necessarily. I admit the film jumps quite quickly from junky to having a job etc. But it is explained quite well and there is enough info given to follow what likely happened.
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He doesn't have a great job; he's just a realtor. And he probably rented the flat. And it's certainly not high end. No leap to get there, I'd say.
shareEven today it isn't that hard to get a job in sales even if you've got a criminal record, even if you've done time in prison. And someone like Renton who was a smart guy and a good liar would be a very good salesman.
shareAs the film says:
"This was boom time when any fool could make cash from chaos and plenty did."
If you're presentable and likeable, you can always make money in real estate.
(Quite why has always been a mystery to me. With more and more fixed price and DIY online agencies, I doubt whether this will last much longer. It's incredible that real estate agents have got away with charging several percent , on a sales on hundreds of thousands to millions, when all they do is show people around and advertise properties.)
If you're presentable and likeable, you can always make money in real estate.
(Quite why has always been a mystery to me. With more and more fixed price and DIY online agencies, I doubt whether this will last much longer. It's incredible that real estate agents have got away with charging several percent , on a sales on hundreds of thousands to millions, when all they do is show people around and advertise properties.)
It's called Scientology. We'd love to meet with you and tell you more.
shareYeah, Renton had cleaned himself up, broke away from his junkie friends and was reasonably intelligent, and in a city where employment was very easy to achieve. Additionally, and this is the crux of my post, Real Estate, especially back in the 80's & 90's, didn't exactly require degree-level education; most people with average intelligence and who are reasonably articulate could gain employment in this field of work, and Renton fit right into this category (probably he could've done better had he not went down the path he did back in Edinburgh). I haven't read the novel, but I am led to believe that Renton was an avid reader and interested in learning.
shareIn the 1980s London and the south were booming and cash was being made from "chaos", as Renton mentions in a voice-over. It is as though he hitched a lift on Thatcherism. I could see him managing it, among the main characters. Also maybe Sick Boy, who is rather intelligent and has some superficial charm. Begbie, Spud and the others, no.
"Chicken soup - with a *beep* straw."
Also maybe Sick Boy, who is rather intelligent and has some superficial charm. Begbie, Spud and the others, no.
I read a book review that mentioned Begbie's transformation. I didn't find it especially convincing.
"Chicken soup - with a *beep* straw."
I'm of two minds about Begbie's transformation. On one had it's great that he's sorted himself out, and the latest book offers some insight as to why he is the way he is. On the other hand, can a person really better themselves to such a high degree? At times in the latest book, I thought I was reading about someone else, but every now and again, his old self popped through.
shareOn the other hand, can a person really better themselves to such a high degree?
As everyone's getting so huffy about it I harassed John Hodge and Danny Boyle and they approved this scene that they meant to film.
Int. Renton's parents house. Day
Renton is drinking Irn-Bru and watching The Muppet Show. His parents walk in.
Dad
Mark. I know you've been talking about moving out.
Renton
Aye.
Mum
We've decided to help you out son.
Renton
Oh, Aye?
Mum
I have a friend, who's son is working in London.
Renton
Oh Aye?
Mum
They reckon they can get you a job.
Dad
In an office...
Renton
Oh aye.
Dad
Here's £500. Help ye with a coach down to big smoke.
Mum
And a wee deposit on a flat...
Renton
Cheers.
Crash cut to Renton stepping out of Victoria coach station.
Renton
Hello London...
"What are you, some kind of doomsday machine, boy?"
That does connect some dots. The film has Diane pushing him in that direction although it fails to fill in the practical details. Then he just happens to get set up in London. Other than being good-looking and rather intelligent, he has nothing going for him, so it was not convincing.
"Chicken soup - with a *beep* straw."
I agree its not particularly realistic but I think I may have an explanation. I haven't read the book, so I'll just go by the movie and its deleted scenes. The original poster dismisses the idea that his parents could have helped him because they're working class.
But there's no indication in the movie that they are. They live in a nice house and seemingly have enough stuff that they don't miss it when their son steals from them. In a deleted scene, Mark mentions that he went to University. There's no indication in the movie that he didn't complete university. Also Mark doesn't have a working class accent, at least it doesn't sound like one to me. And I would know, I grew up on a council estate (or project as they say in America.)
So I think the most likely explanation is this - his parents gave him money to travel down to London and rent a bedsit. The mum or dad knew someone who had an important position at the real estate company- a family friend or an uncle perhaps. With a University education and with someone already there to open the door, Mark gets the job. Also as others have said, hes young, handsome and intelligent- an assent to any company. He could come up with any old excuse for his years of not working. He was sick, his mum was sick, he was depressed, he was travelling etc etc. Mark's charming and a skilled liar and manipulator. They have no way of knowing he's lying or that he was a heroin addict.
You'd be amazed the people in Britain who have gotten jobs they shouldn't have. A few years ago, two girls were killed by their schools caretaker (janitor.) He had a list of convictions for assaulting under-age girls but he had repeatedly gotten jobs at schools! I'd say Mark's been in London for at least a year- Spud's been released from prison, Tommy's died and Sick Boy is now clean and a pimp and dealer. All that didn't happen in a few weeks! 😃 Diane was only 14 when she met Mark - she'd still be at school a year, even 2 years, later.
history is a battle fought by a great evil,struggling to crush a small kernel of human kindness
Re the janitor, I am amazed by someone like Jimmy Savile getting away with it for decades but he hid behind being a "national treasure". As regards this film, Renton has a somewhat middle-class Perth area accent (which is where McGregor originally comes from) and he is not totally convincing as someone from the rough side of Edinburgh.
"Chicken soup - with a *beep* straw."
I don't even think it requires this much explanation. Mark went down to London and got a job. That's all we need to know.
shareMark's job didn't seem all that impressive, simply an entry level agent to bring ppl around rental places.
As for his property, he too was merely in some rental app't. Don't let his suit fool you.
...my essential 50 http://www.imdb.com/list/ls056413299/
Mark's job didn't seem all that impressive, simply an entry level agent to bring ppl around rental places.
As for his property, he too was merely in some rental app't. Don't let his suit fool you.
Really? That's what you take away from the film?
share