It’s no big secret that I’m a huge fan of Irvine Welsh‘s work (author of Trainspotting), and having read pretty much all of his novels, I would say that apart from the obvious choice of Trainspotting, Filth would probably be one of my favourites.
Published in 1998, Filth was the third novel from the always provocative Welsh. The book tells the story of misanthropic, bi-polar anti-hero Bruce Robertson, a police officer with a spiralling coke and drink problem, who manipulates, drinks, snorts and shags his way to promotion.
Irvine Welsh has always managed to divide opinion, cause controversy and shock readers, and as the title hints at, there’s plenty in this storyline to make the faint hearted squirm with discomfort from start to finish.
Brought to the big screen by Scottish filmmaker Jon S. Baird, directed from his own script adapted from Welsh’s novel, and starring a host of British actors, With James McAvoy in the leading role, Imogen Poots, Jamie Bell, Jim Broadbent, Eddie Marsan, Joanne Froggett and Pollyanna McIntosh.Welsh himself has praised the film, saying even he was blown away.
In Cinemas October 4th 2013.
Director Danny Boyle has also recently confirmed he is working on a sequel to
the cult classic Trainspotting, based on Welsh’s follow-up novel Porno.