10 Greatest Opening Lines In Movie History

Ewan McGregor's electrifying monologue to open 1996's Trainspotting is a pop culture staple, featuring everywhere from coffee mugs to posters even to this day.

The dark irony of this sneering commentary is that it is parroted by an inhabitant of society's lowest rung. McGregor plays Mark "Rent Boy" Renton, a heroin addict who viewers are introduced to as he sprints away from policemen after being caught shoplifting.

The nihilistic intensity of the Scotman's captivating recitation steadily builds to a fever pitch. Choose starter homes, mortgage payments and washing machines, Renton initially urges, but by the time he's finished, it's "choose stuffing f*cking junk food into your mouth... nothing more than an embarrassment to the selfish, f***ed-up brats you have spawned to replace yourselves". Cheerful stuff.

While invariably entertained by Renton's cynical social commentary, audiences unfamiliar with the subject matter of Irvine Welsh's novel were likely wondering where on earth McGregor was going with what appeared to be the most nonsensical, anti-establishment spiel imaginable. Of course, that was before the legendary actor gleefully tied the bow on one of the most memorable opening monologues ever witnessed:

"Choose your future. Choose life. But why would I want to do a thing like that? I chose not to choose life. I chose something else. And the reasons? There are no reasons. Who needs reasons when you’ve got heroin?"

There it is. Welcome to Trainspotting.