As a Moments subpage, all spoilers are unmarked as per policy. You Have Been Warned.
The novel
- The constant use of the word "cunt" is taken to such extreme levels in Begbie's narrative chapters, that at times you can't even tell who he's talking about.
- "Perfume" James' One-Scene Wonder, where he cheerfully informs Gav, who has given Second Prize a ton of money to paint his living room, that a heavily inebriated Second Prize has just bought a stack of perfume off him.
- Begbie claiming that Renton is 'spoiling it for every cunt' when he says he doesn't want a full English breakfast. The absurdity of the comment just makes it laughable.
The film
- Sick Boy and Renton casually, almost disinterestedly watching the home porno of Tommy and his girlfriend. Of course, the theft of the video inadvertently leads to their breakup and Tommy's downward spiral and eventual death.
- Renton explaining how Sick Boy got off heroin at the same time he did. Was it because he wanted to? No, it was just to piss Renton off. Or so Renton says.
- Renton and Sick Boy's Sean Connery impressions.
- Renton shooting the dog in the nuts with an air-rifle.Sick Boy: For a vegetarian Rents, you're a fucking evil shot.
- The bed sheets scene. Nausea Fuel doesn't quite cover it.
- Spud's speed-fuelled interview.
- Begbie discovering the girl he's feeling up in a car is a transvestite.Begbie: I'm not a fucking buftie and that's the end of it.
- Tommy trying to get Renton, Sick Boy and Spud to go on a walk with him up some mountains. Instead of enjoying their time together, everyone just bitches at Tommy for getting them out there.Spud: Tommy...this is not natural, man.
(Cut to Tommy stood in a green field with hills in the background)
Tommy: It's the great outdoors! - Renton's epic rant about being Scottish.
- During the club scene, Spud and Tommy's conversation has to be subtitled due to the blaring music. The text is occasionally a bit different from the actual dialogue.Spud: Did [Lizzy] go ballistic?
Subtitles: Was she upset?
Tommy: Big time, absolutely fuckin' radge!
Subtitles: Very. - Renton and Spud casually strolling into an old folks' home and taking the telly out from a room full of pensioners.
- The gang's reaction from the balcony as they watch a fight Begbie picked seemingly spontaneously erupt into a full-scale Bar Brawl.
- The scene in the book is a bit more outrageous; Begbie launches into a full-scale investigation of the bar, sweeping the whole place and even the injured man's friends up in his bullshit. Then he boots the group's ringleader "in the baws" and walks away. The audacity of the situation is bewildering.
- Begbie flipping out at Sick Boy for not bringing cards for them to play and pass the time, telling Sick Boy that it was his responsibility to bring the cards. Spud can only stare in confusion.
- When Renton ODs, Mother Superior asks dryly if he would "like [him] to call a cab". We soon see a shot of an ambulance speeding through the streets, siren blaring... passing by in the distance while Renton lies in the road, waiting for the literal cab Mother Superior called to pick him up and toss his comatose body on the hospital's doorstep. Furthermore, the cab driver casually dumps Renton in front of the hospital and snatches the note Swannie has left in Renton's shirt pocket for the fare.
- Renton's first attempt to get clean, and all the prep he put into it. While it doesn't help him get off heroin for good, you have to give him points for trying. Also his first reaction when he first sees Mikey's opium pills:"What the fuck are these?"
- Renton goes to see Mikey Forrester, a dealer he hates, to score a final hit before going off junk. All he has are opium suppositories, which are inserted anally. After Renton takes them, Mikey asks if they feel good, to which Renton replies,"Oh, aye, for all the good they've done me, I met as well shove them up my arse" *gives the most sarcastic grimace ever.*
- Renton and Spud are on trial for theft, and Renton is told by the judge that his sentence since he's going into a rehab program, his response is golden:
- A meta example. Kelly Macdonald in her naivete invited her mother and brother to the set - for the day she was to film Diane and Renton's sex scene.
