T2: Trainspotting – Movie Review
Confession time, Up until this past weekend, I had never seen 1996’s “Trainspotting”. I always meant to give it a look but just never got around to it. Knowing that I was going to be reviewing the sequel, I picked up the Blu-ray (because it was cheaper than renting it) and got myself caught up on the story that started two decades ago. I thought Danny Boyle’s “Trainspotting” was quite good and that scene with the dead baby is one of the most horrifying moments in modern cinema. You can totally see the greatness that was to come from Ewan McGregor in this star-making performance. I didn’t love “Trainspotting” the way many others do, but there is a lot there to like.
The benefit of going into “T2: Trainspotting” having just recently seeing the first film is that I didn’t have the decades of build-up. There were no expectations on my end so no matter how the film turned out, I wouldn’t be disappointed. Although “T2” isn’t a bad film (it just has a bad title), it lacks the energy and freshness that the original delivered. Much like the actors themselves, the characters have aged and slowed down a bit. Renton (Ewan McGregor) is now clean and living in Amsterdam but has decided to come back to Edinburgh for a visit. Simon aka Sick Boy (Jonny Lee Miller) is running his father’s old bar as well as dabbling in cocaine and blackmail with his girlfriend/escort, Veronika (Anjela Nedyalkova). Spud (Ewen Bremner) is ready to take his own life as his heroin addiction has taken everything from him. Finally there is Begbie (Robert Carlyle) who escaped from prison and wants revenge on Renton for stealing the 16 thousand pounds at the end of the first film.
There is a whole lot going on in “T2” but none of it amounts to much of anything. Simon wants to open up a brothel for Veronika. Begbie wants revenge but also wants his son to follow in his criminal footsteps. The fact that his son had enrolled into college is lost on him. Spud to me is the most interesting in the group because we truly feel bad for the guy. He is a good person with a family that obviously loves him but he can’t get off the drugs. He has so much going for him and as the film progresses, we much more to his character than before.
There was no need for a “Trainspotting” sequel and even though the whole thing feels like just an excuse to bring these characters back, thanks to Boyle, he manages to make it all passable. If you loved these characters twenty years ago, you won’t come out of “T2” thinking this was a waste of time, but you may come out of it thinking it was nice seeing Renton, Spud, and Simon again. No need for another reunion.
By: Marc Ferman
