The Acid House (film)
The Acid House is a 1998 Scottish film adaptation of Irvine Welsh's short story collection The Acid House directed by Paul McGuigan. Welsh himself wrote the screenplay, and appears as a minor character in the film.
| The Acid House | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Paul McGuigan |
| Produced by |
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| Written by | Irvine Welsh |
| Starring | |
| Music by | Dan Muir |
| Cinematography | Alasdair Walker |
| Edited by | Andrew Hulme |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | FilmFour Distributors |
Release date |
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Running time | 111 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
Plot
The film dramatises three stories from the book:
- "The Granton Star Cause": A comedy, in which Boab (Stephen McCole) is having a rotten day. His parents throw him out so they can indulge in sado-masochism and he is sacked from his job, dumped by his girlfriend, and dropped from his football team. It has elements of Franz Kafka's The Metamorphosis. One of the characters is a pitiless, profane God who transforms him into a fly as punishment for wasting his life. Named after an Edinburgh housing district, "The Granton Star Cause" was filmed on location in Muirhouse and Pilton, including Ferry Road Drive.
- "A Soft Touch": Kevin McKidd plays Johnny, a man who is cuckolded by Larry (Garry McCormack), the ruthless upstairs neighbour who steals his electricity and his wife (Michelle Gomez). Filmed on location in Niddrie.
- "The Acid House": An acid trip and a bolt of lightning result in amiable schemie Coco Brice (Ewen Bremner) exchanging bodies with the baby of a middle-class couple (Martin Clunes and Jemma Redgrave).
All three sections are independent, but are linked by setting and the reappearance of incidental characters, in particular Maurice Roëves who appears variously as an inebriated wedding guest, a figure in a dream, and a pub patron. All three of his parts symbolise a human manifestation of God.
The film offended elements of the UK tabloid press with a depiction of a cynical, jaded, foul-mouthed God. In some English-speaking countries such as Canada and the United States it has been screened with subtitles because of the Scots vernacular and heavy Edinburgh accents.
Cast
- "The Granton Star Cause"
- Maurice Roëves – God
- Stephen McCole – Boab
- Garry Sweeney – Kev
- Jenny McCrindle – Evelyn
- Simon Weir – Tambo
- Iain Andrew – Grant
- Irvine Welsh – Parkie
- Pat Stanton – Barman
- Alex Howden – Boab Snr
- Annie Louise Ross – Doreen (as Ann Louise Ross)
- Dennis O'Connor – PC Cochrane
- John Gardner – Sgt. Morrison
- William Blair – Workmate
- Gary McCormack – Workmate
- Malcolm Shields – Workmate
- Stewart Preston – Rafferty
- Callum Stewart - boy playing football
- "A Soft Touch"
- Maurice Roëves – Drunk
- Kevin McKidd – Johnny
- Michelle Gomez – Catriona
- Tam Dean Burn – Alec
- Scott Imrie – Pool Player
- Niall Greig Fulton – Alan
- Cas Harkins – Skanko
- Morgan Simpson – Chantal, Baby
- Marnie Kidd – Chantal, Toddler
- Alison Peebles – Mother
- Joanne Riley – New Girl
- Katie Echlin – Wendy
- William 'Giggs' McGuigan – Pub Singer
- William Blair – Deck
- Gary McCormack – Larry
- "The Acid House"
- Maurice Roëves – Priest
- Ewen Bremner – Colin 'Coco' Bryce
- Martin Clunes – Rory
- Jemma Redgrave – Jenny
- Arlene Cockburn – Kirsty
- Jane Stabler – Emma
- Doug Eadie – Coco's Father
- Andrea McKenna – Coco's Mother
- Cas Harkins – Skanko
- Billy McElhaney – Felix the Paramedic
- Ricky Callan – Tam the Driver
- Barbara Rafferty – Dr. Callaghan
- Stephen Docherty – Nurse Boyd
- Ronnie McCann – Andy