Irvine Welsh's Ecstasy (2011)

6% of critics liked it
(18 reviews)
46% want to see it
(149 ratings)

Based on Irvine Welsh's controversial book, Ecstasy: Three Tales of Chemical Romance, ECSTASY is a twisted tale that explores the euphoric highs and the devastating lows of a chemical romance. Lloyd (Adam Sinclair) is on top of the world - beautiful girls, great club sounds, and a never ending… More Based on Irvine Welsh's controversial book, Ecstasy: Three Tales of Chemical Romance, ECSTASY is a twisted tale that explores the euphoric highs and the devastating lows of a chemical romance. Lloyd (Adam Sinclair) is on top of the world - beautiful girls, great club sounds, and a never ending supply of the love drug, sustained by a smuggling sideline for the local drug boss Solo (Carlo Rota). But when he meets Heather (Kristin Kreuk) he is forced to question if the love he feels is real or just another chemical high. As cracks start to appear in his world he realises he wants out. If he can just pull off one last trip for Solo, he'll be free. -- (C) Official Site

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 39 min.
Directed By: Rob Heydon
Written By: Irvine Welsh, Rob Heydon
Genres: Drama, Romance, Art House & International

In Theaters: Aug 31, 2012 Wide

Critic Reviews

Tom Clift, Moviedex
Everything that was fresh and exciting about Trainspotting is tired, conventional and dull here.
Sarah Ward, Trespass
Its fondness for the writer and the drug film genre may be evident; however neither can turn Irvine Welsh's Ecstasy into anything more than an inferior homage.
David Stratton, At the Movies (Australia)
In the end, ECSTASY wants to have it both ways -- drugs are celebrated at the beginning of the film, and condemned -- or at least the crime connected with them is - by the end.
Scott Murray, Sydney Morning Herald
One gets the feeling this director doesn't think his target audience is all that smart.
Cara Nash, FILMINK (Australia)
A crass and shallow exploration of a potentially interesting topic, which makes for one downer of a cinematic trip.
Brigit Grant, Daily Express
Only those still clubbing on ecstasy are likely to enjoy this but then they love everything.
Alice Tynan, The Vine
Ecstasy proved itself to be resoundingly more soporific than serotonin enhancing.
Matthew Turner, ViewLondon
Ultimately disappointing, thanks to some dodgy performances, irritating characters and a hackneyed, seen-it-all-before script that has nothing new to say.
Louise Keller, Urban Cinefile
Getting a fix on reality is the challenge in this exploration of truth, lies & ecstasy set in Edinburgh drug & club scene.. captures the claustrophobic essence of the scene it depicts in a world without light
Derek Malcolm, This is London
The film is supposed to be a transformational romance going from the love of ecstasy to the ecstasy of love but the two leads can't manage it any more than the director.
Trevor Johnston, Time Out
Not so much chemical romance as serious downer, it all seems so old.
Alex Zane, Sun Online
You can hear the people talk above the loud music. It would be so much better if you couldn't.
Robbie Collin, Daily Telegraph
There's referencing and then there's photocopying, and Ecstasy screams "toner low".
Antonia Quirke, Financial Times
The movie's low-level chat about uppers (boy, you wouldn't give this movie a nickel for its small talk) does little to peddle Welsh's undoubted brilliance.
Eddie Harrison, The List
Whatever the title says, this is most definitely not Irvine Welsh's Ecstasy, but an agonisingly watered-down imitation, a long, languid come-down after the frenetic buzz of Trainspotting.
Ashley Clark, Little White Lies
The low budget is not enough to excuse the ineptitude on show. Avoid.
Emma Dibdin, Total Film
Billy Boyd's distinctly un-Pippin turn as a psycho drug dealer aside, there's little of interest in this misjudged, miswritten mess.
Chris Fyvie, The Skinny
Clearly has affection for the source material and the cinematic subgenre it reflects, which is probably why it's so terrible.