Irvine Welsh's Ecstasy
| Irvine Welsh's Ecstasy | |
|---|---|
 UK Poster |
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| Directed by | Rob Heydon |
| Produced by | Rob Heydon Executive Producers: Joni Cuquet Michael Heydon Ashley Pover |
| Screenplay by | Rob Heydon Ben Tucker |
| Based on | The Undefeated by Irvine Welsh |
| Starring | Adam Sinclair Kristin Kreuk Billy Boyd Carlo Rota |
| Music by | Craig McConnell |
| Cinematography | Brad Hruboska |
| Editing by | Jeremiah Munce |
| Studio | Ecstasy Film Inc. |
| Distributed by | Intandem Films |
| Release date(s) | September 18, 2011 (AFF) |
| Running time | 99 minutes |
| Country | Canada |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $5 million[1] |
Irvine Welsh's Ecstasy is a 2011 Canadian dark romantic comedy film adaptation of the short story The Undefeated from the #1 best-selling book Ecstasy by Irvine Welsh. Directed by Rob Heydon, the film stars Adam Sinclair as Lloyd Buist, a drug addict who smuggles ecstasy from Amsterdam. Kristin Kreuk plays the love interest Heather Thompson.
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[edit] Plot
Frustrated with her boring middle class and loveless marriage, Heather Thompson (Kristin Kreuk) seeks a change in her life. At a club, she finds just that in happily-partying Lloyd Buist (Adam Sinclair), a drug addict. Heather falls hard for Lloyd despite the fact that most of their time spent together is under the influence of illicit substances. As they experiment with this new lifestyle, they are faced with the question of whether they love their drugs, each other, or are just drugged into loving each other.
The romantic storyline is supplemented by a side plot involving Lloyd owing money to a shady character, Solo (Carlo Rota). While Lloyd is out of control with drugs and left unchecked, he must fulfill his “karmic” debt with Solo.
After a while, Heather begins to doubt the veracity of Lloyd's feelings for her, wondering if it might not be the effect of the drugs after all. When Lloyd almost dies after a drug smuggling operation goes terribly wrong and faces the possibility of losing Heather, he decides to turn his life around, and he finds that natural highs might be the best of all. He wants to change, but first must deal with Solo and wake up in the, “Hell”, he has created. The final revelation is “It all comes from within.”
[edit] Cast
- Adam Sinclair as Lloyd Buist
- Kristin Kreuk as Heather Thompson
- Billy Boyd as Woodsy
- Carlo Rota as Solo
- Keram Malicki-Sánchez as Ally
- Natalie Brown as Marie
- Stephen McHattie as Jim Buist, Lloyd's father
- Dean McDermott as Hugh Thompson
[edit] Production
In 2000, director Rob Heydon obtained the rights to the film Irvine Welsh's Ecstasy.[2][3] It took a few years to acquire financing and to get the script approved by author Irvine Welsh.[3] There were difficulties in having the independent film made; the film was initially a Canada/UK co-production up until 2009, but eventually became a Canadian production.[4] The lead female character Heather was initially supposed to be played by actress Lisa Ray, but she was unable to commit due to having cancer.[3]
The film was shot in December 2010 to early 2011 in Scotland, Amsterdam, and Canada.
[edit] Release
The premiere was held at the Atlantic Film Festival in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, on September 18, 2011. In September during the week of its premiere, the film was sold to 35 countries, including Portugal, South Africa, territories in Central America, the Czech Republic and Eastern Europe.[5]
The film had its International premiere at the Glasgow Film Festival on February 18, 2012[6] and will have its London Premiere on April 17, 2012.[7] The film opens theatrically in the United Kingdom on April 20, 2012.[8][9]
[edit] External links
- Official website
- Official UK website
- Irvine Welsh's Ecstasy at the Internet Movie Database
- Irvine Welsh's Ecstasy at AllRovi
- Irvine Welsh's Ecstasy at Rotten Tomatoes
- Irvine Welsh's Ecstasy on Twitter
- Irvine Welsh's Ecstasy on Facebook
- Irvine Welsh's Ecstasy at YouTube
[edit] References
- ^ "Intandem Attached To Irvine Welsh's Ecstasy". 4rfv.co.uk. http://www.4rfv.co.uk/industrynews.asp?id=120104. Retrieved 2011-10-25.
- ^ Gzowski, Alison (5 January 2011). "After 10 years of agony Ecstasy is in sight". The Globe and Mail (Toronto). http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/arts/movies/after-10-years-of-agony-ecstasy-is-in-sight/article1857527/.
- ^ a b c "Interview with Rob Heydon (Director of Ecstasy)". Click Online. http://www.clickonline.com/movies/interview-with-rob-heydon-(director-of-ecstasy)/2710/. Retrieved 2011-10-25.
- ^ "Rob Heydon's debut adaptation of Irvine Welsh's Ecstasy". imaginox.co.uk. http://www.imaginox.co.uk/content/special-feature. Retrieved 2011-11-05.
- ^ "Rob Heydon’s Ecstasy sold into 20 foreign territories". Playback. http://playbackonline.ca/2011/09/14/rob-heydons-ecstasy-sold-into-20-foreign-territories/. Retrieved 2011-11-23.
- ^ "Irvine Welsh's Ecstasy - Glasgow Film Festival". GlasgowFilm.org. http://www.glasgowfilm.org/festival/whats_on/3555_irvine_welshs_ecstasy. Retrieved 2012-01-18.
- ^ "Irvine Welsh's Ecstasy - Facebook - Info on UK premieres". Facebook. http://www.facebook.com/IrvineWelshsEcstacy/posts/285104618203026. Retrieved 2012-01-10.
- ^ "Release dates for Irvine Welsh's Ecstasy". Internet Movie Database. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1809287/releaseinfo. Retrieved 2012-01-10.
- ^ "Grand Theatre hosts film Ecstasy". Sault Star. http://www.saultstar.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=3431250. Retrieved 2012-01-12.
