Depressing and Dreary, but Fun  The Acid House  Scotsman Irvine
Welsh became a literary sensation in Britain with the
publication of his first novel, Trainspotting; and Danny Boyle's
film version of this depressing look at the underbelly of
Edinburgh brought Welsh fame in America as well. Now director
Paul McGuigan makes his feature debut with an adaption of
Welsh's The Acid House. This is an anthology film, however --
three discrete stories taken from the book, one of which was
broadcast separately on British television. (There are a few
minor interconnections between the sections.) This time around
Welsh has written the screenplay himself.  In terms of setting
and characters, The Acid Houseis more of the same. Like
Trainspotting, it's set in dreary North Edinburgh, which, if
Welsh is to be trusted, is almost completely populated by
junkies, pimps, drug dealers, hoods, and terminally disaffected
working-class youths: irredeemable losers all, some vile, some
sympathetic.  "The Granton Star Cause," the first s