Review: Trainspotting 2 (T2)

Fun fact: I've been to this night club's toilets 

Considering my last film review attempted to convince readers that Fifty Shades of Grey was an underrated triumph, I haven’t exactly set the bar high in terms  of my credibility  as a film critic. 

However there’s never been a subject I wouldn't give my opinion on no matter how unwanted, unjustified and under qualified I was to offer said opinion. 

I should probably start by mentioning how much I loved the original Trainspotting (T1 as it shall henceforth be known since the word Trainspotting keeps showing up as a misspelling on Microsoft word, which is intensely annoying Microsoft word you uncultured swine). The film  offered rapid fire immensely quotable dialogue, a back drop of the homeland (#edinbruh) and finally  a subject matter I found shocking at 16. As an incredibly sheltered teenager I had never seen such a raw depiction of drug use. This,  coupled with black  humor and all shot through  Danny Boyle’s distinctive lens made the film completely unique film experience for me. The images of a desperate Mark climbing into the worst toilet in Scotland,  Spud clasping poo stained sheets, the creepy demon ceiling baby and the epic race down Princes street all stuck in my mind long after I finished the film. In addition the soundtrack completely won me over as I have a huge soft spot for classic brit pop especially 80s brit pop.

INSERT IGGY POP HERE 

Anyways now I’ve fan girled over the first movie, what about T2? Unlike the majority of fans I wasn't particularly anxious about the prospect of a sequel.  I loved the original so much that any kind of reunion, even if it had been a brief skit on a talk show  (a la Friends) would have made my life. T2 had many  great elements. The beaut city of Edinburgh was used to its full potential (much to me and my friends delight when we spotted Ewan and the gang filming on Princes street). 

My personal fave locations included:

-Leith ( as my Gran always says ‘Leith is up and coming’ and as my brother always says ‘ Is it Leith? Or is it Amsterdam?’ ). 

-My beloved Arthurs seat

-The Tram (arguably the city’s most underrated form of transport/arguably a complete waste of money) 

-The night club Cav (where I have enjoy many a drunken escapade). 

I felt the character development was excellent. The men were recognizable as their characters but realistically shaped by their struggle to accept their aging and the consequences of so so so many bad choices. The men’s youthful exploits  had taken their toll on their personal relationships, family dynamics and career prospects (basically once a criminal always a criminal). The critics loved the film’s line ‘a tourist in their own youth’ . And the film continually references  this ‘youth’  through actual footage from T1 and discussions of the past between the characters. 

There were 2 particularly poignant moments. The first when Renton, Sick boy and Spud revisit the Scottish countryside where Mark made his infamous speech about how shite it was to be Scottish. Back in T1 they had been joined by the lovable ‘clean living’ Tommy who later snuffs it  after Mark introduces and supplies him with ‘scag'. In the T2 the characters reflect on  the death of Tommy and sick boy’s child while they imagine his figure just ahead,  his memory living on by the Scottish hills.

The other was a scene where Spud is walking toward Waverley station and suddenly  a 23 year old Mark is racing past him,  young Spud just behind. The footage from T1 rolls of a car colliding into Mark. We see the iconic moment where Mark simply grins and bursts out laughing at the driver before he is running off again, no fear, no regret, just living for the thrill of survival. This scene almost made me cry just from the overwhelming nostalgia captured on Spud’s face as he remembers.

  

Heroin does wonders for a pale AF complexion 

After the film finished updating the audience on the characters lives,  the story turned to Begbie’s revenge on Mark which was surprisingly hilarious given how terrifying Bebie still is. Another fantastic moment was a certain Catholic themed musical number by Renton and Sick boy which must be seen to be believed. 

Nothing will beat the original T1 there were too many iconic scenes and the whole concept was brand-new. However T2 was a worth-while and well-made sequel. Particularly Begbie and Spud’s performances would be highly acclaimed in any stand-alone movie. I would highly recommend to a friend  and given the potential of the film to be an absolute  train wreck (pun intended) I would say Danny Boyle nailed it. 

Can I also say I have no idea what obsession is with Sick Boy. That man is a great actor, but platinum blonde and almost fifty. 

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