Ecstasy Film
Encyclopedia
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.
) 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.”
, but she was unable to commit due to having cancer.
The cast was primarily of Scottish descent to stay true to the characters and mood of the original story. The film was shot in December 2010 to early 2011 in Scotland
, Amsterdam
, and Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
, Canada.
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 20 countries, including Portugal, South Africa, territories in central America, the Czech Republic and Eastern Europe. The film is currently on the film festival
circuit and is expected to have its United Kingdom
and International premieres in early 2012.
Romantic Comedy
Romantic Comedy can refer to* Romantic Comedy , a 1979 play written by Bernard Slade* Romantic Comedy , a 1983 film adapted from the play and starring Dudley Moore and Mary Steenburgen...
film adaptation
Film adaptation
Film adaptation is the transfer of a written work to a feature film. It is a type of derivative work.A common form of film adaptation is the use of a novel as the basis of a feature film, but film adaptation includes the use of non-fiction , autobiography, comic book, scripture, plays, and even...
of the short story The Undefeated from the #1 best-selling book
Bestseller
A bestseller is a book that is identified as extremely popular by its inclusion on lists of currently top selling titles that are based on publishing industry and book trade figures and published by newspapers, magazines, or bookstore chains. Some lists are broken down into classifications and...
Ecstasy
Ecstasy: Three Tales of Chemical Romance
Ecstasy: Three Tales of Chemical Romance is a collection of three novellas by Irvine Welsh.-Lorraine Goes To Livingston:After suffering a stroke, Rebecca Navarro, a best-selling romance novelist, discovers the truth about her corrupt, pornography-loving husband...
by Irvine Welsh
Irvine Welsh
Irvine Welsh is a contemporary Scottish novelist, best known for his novel Trainspotting. His work is characterised by raw Scottish dialect, and brutal depiction of the realities of Edinburgh life...
. Directed by Rob Heydon
Rob Heydon
Rob Heydon is an award winning Canadian film director who has shot music videos, feature films and documentaries....
, the film stars Adam Sinclair
Adam Sinclair (actor)
Adam Sinclair is a Scottish film and television actor. Sinclair is originally from East Kilbride but now lives near Venice Beach, California with his disc jockey wife Michelle Kath, and son Hamish.- Filmography :*Boyz Unlimited as Jason Jackson...
as Lloyd Buist, a drug addict who smuggles ecstasy from Amsterdam. Kristin Kreuk
Kristin Kreuk
Kristin Laura Kreuk is a Canadian actress and producer, known for her portrayal of Lana Lang in the American television series Smallville. She was also a regular cast member on the Canadian teen drama Edgemont, and has starred in movies such as Eurotrip and Street Fighter: The Legend of...
plays the love interest Heather Thompson.
Plot
Frustrated with her boring middle class and loveless marriage, Heather Thompson (Kristin KreukKristin Kreuk
Kristin Laura Kreuk is a Canadian actress and producer, known for her portrayal of Lana Lang in the American television series Smallville. She was also a regular cast member on the Canadian teen drama Edgemont, and has starred in movies such as Eurotrip and Street Fighter: The Legend of...
) seeks a change in her life. At a club, she finds just that in happily-partying Lloyd Buist (Adam Sinclair
Adam Sinclair (actor)
Adam Sinclair is a Scottish film and television actor. Sinclair is originally from East Kilbride but now lives near Venice Beach, California with his disc jockey wife Michelle Kath, and son Hamish.- Filmography :*Boyz Unlimited as Jason Jackson...
), 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
Carlo Rota
Carlo Rota is a British-born Canadian actor, best known to Canadian audiences for his role on Little Mosque on the Prairie and to international audiences for starring on the FOX series 24.-Early life:...
). 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.”
Cast
- Adam SinclairAdam Sinclair (actor)Adam Sinclair is a Scottish film and television actor. Sinclair is originally from East Kilbride but now lives near Venice Beach, California with his disc jockey wife Michelle Kath, and son Hamish.- Filmography :*Boyz Unlimited as Jason Jackson...
as Lloyd Buist - Kristin KreukKristin KreukKristin Laura Kreuk is a Canadian actress and producer, known for her portrayal of Lana Lang in the American television series Smallville. She was also a regular cast member on the Canadian teen drama Edgemont, and has starred in movies such as Eurotrip and Street Fighter: The Legend of...
as Heather Thompson - Billy Boyd as Woodsy
- Carlo RotaCarlo RotaCarlo Rota is a British-born Canadian actor, best known to Canadian audiences for his role on Little Mosque on the Prairie and to international audiences for starring on the FOX series 24.-Early life:...
as Solo - Keram Malicki-SánchezKeram Malicki-SanchezKeram Malicki-Sánchez is a Canadian actor, singer, writer, new media guru, and music and film producer.-Early life & acting career:...
as Ally - Natalie BrownNatalie Brown (actress)Natalie Brown is a Canadian actress who grew up in Timmins, Ontario. Brown landed her first print campaign for Bonne Bell when she was sixteen and went on to become the Heinz Ketchup girl. She modeled for Noxema and Max Factor. She studied fine arts at York University in Toronto...
as Marie - Stephen McHattieStephen McHattieStephen McHattie is a Canadian actor.-Life and career:McHattie was born in Antigonish, Nova Scotia....
as Jim Buist, Lloyd's father - Dean McDermottDean McDermottDean McDermott is a Canadian-American actor best known in the United States for having married Victoria Davey "Tori" Spelling, with whom he appeared in the observational documentary shows Tori & Dean: Inn Love and Tori & Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood, and for having acted out the role of Constable...
as Hugh Thompson
Production
In 2000, director Rob Heydon obtained the rights to the film Irvine Welsh's Ecstasy. It took a few years to acquire financing and to get the script approved by author Irvine Welsh. 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. The lead female character Heather was initially supposed to be played by actress Lisa RayLisa Ray
Lisa Ray , born 4 April 1972, is a Canadian actress and former model.-Early life:Lisa Ray was born in Toronto to a Bengali Indian father and a Polish mother and grew up in the suburb of Etobicoke...
, but she was unable to commit due to having cancer.
The cast was primarily of Scottish descent to stay true to the characters and mood of the original story. The film was shot in December 2010 to early 2011 in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, and Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
Sault Ste. Marie is a city on the St. Marys River in Algoma District, Ontario, Canada. It is the third largest city in Northern Ontario, after Sudbury and Thunder Bay, with a population of 74,948. The community was founded as a French religious mission: Sault either means "jump" or "rapids" in...
, Canada.
Release
The premierePremiere
A premiere is generally "a first performance". This can refer to plays, films, television programs, operas, symphonies, ballets and so on. Premieres for theatrical, musical and other cultural presentations can become extravagant affairs, attracting large numbers of socialites and much media...
was held at the Atlantic Film Festival
Atlantic Film Festival
The Atlantic Film Festival is an international film festival held in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.Held annually, the ten-day celebration of film and video from Atlantic Canada and around the world is committed to screening an inspiring and engaging collection of films and videos from Canada and the...
in Halifax, Nova Scotia
City of Halifax
Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...
, Canada, on September 18, 2011. In September during the week of its premiere, the film was sold to 20 countries, including Portugal, South Africa, territories in central America, the Czech Republic and Eastern Europe. The film is currently on the film festival
Film festival
A film festival is an organised, extended presentation of films in one or more movie theaters or screening venues, usually in a single locality. More and more often film festivals show part of their films to the public by adding outdoor movie screenings...
circuit and is expected to have its United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and International premieres in early 2012.
External links
- Official website
- Irvine Welsh's Ecstasy at YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....