...death even though he was directly responsible for it? Without much exaggeration we could say Renton killed Tommy, even though it was unintentional and he probably didn't expect how great impact on Tommy's life that "switch the tapes" joke would make. Anyway, it didn't look like Renton felt guilty for what he did. Didn't he realize all that happened to Tommy was his fault?
shareGuilty for the break-up of Tommy & Lizzy perhaps, but I don't see why Renton would (or should) feel guilty for Tommy's death.
Tommy was weak. Instead of picking himself up and either trying to win Lizzie back or realizing what a snooty little cowbag she was anyway and moving on, he jumped right on the H wagon he'd been so adamant he wanted no part of throughout the first part of the film.
Ultimately, Tommy was to blame for his own death. It was his decision to get into heroin, his (unseen) decision to share needles (leading to him contracting HIV and then of course full-blown AIDS), and it was Tommy who neglected the kitten because he was too out of it on the heroin that once again HE CHOSE to take.
Yes, but it was, in a sense, a butterfly effect. Switching the tapes caused the breakup which led Tommy to depression which, in turn, led him to hard drugs, gradual deterioration and, finally, AIDS. Even though Renton was not directly responsible for Tommy's actions we can safely assume none of that would have happened if it hadn't been for Renton's careless decision to steal the tape. Before all that Tommy had no interest in drugs.
shareI used to think it was largely Mark's fault, but upon re-watching the movie, I realise that Tommy was an adult. Nobody forced him to do the skag, and he'd seen the effect it had on his friends. One of his pals even lost his daughter because of drugs. If, he'd still do it despite seeing this just because he was bummed out about a girl, then more fool him.
shareHe would have been indirectly responsible for Tommy's death; not directly. He didn't pull a trigger; he didn't stick a needle in Tommy's arm; he didn't get Tommy the cat.
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It would be fair to say that Renton contributed to Tommy losing his realtionship but to suggest Renton is responsible for Tommy's death is ridiculous.
The Butterfly Effect argument isn't really valid - if Tommy and Lizzie hadn't made the tape then Renton wouldn't have taken it, we could go back further and blame the inventor of the video camera for Tommy's death.
Tommy is responsible for his own actions choices and ultimate downfall, not Renton or Lizzie.
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They weren't smart. They were simply lucky. People were still learning about AIDS and HIV back when the movie takes place.
shareHe didn't feel guilty because truth is, he's a bad person. Any normal person would feel the least bit bad about introducing a friend to heroin (for money for heroin) who then died because of the heroin. I thought the question was - why didn't he seem to feel at all responsible?
shareHe makes it very clear throughout the movie that he has little to no respect for any of his "so-called mates." He only feels sorry for Spud because he feels Spud didn't have the same opportunities in life that the rest of them enjoyed.
He saw Tommy as weak and naive and beyond that didn't feel much more towards him.
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Your mama was a snowblower!
"Tommy" appears during Renton's hallucination while he is suffering from withdrawal symptoms. Perhaps he feels some subconscious guilt.
I remember in an interview the film director or scriptwriter said Tommy was pure to begin with but it was in the nature of the story that purity had to be sullied and destroyed, so it was.
"Chicken soup - with a *beep* straw."