T2 Trainspotting

Starring: Ewan McGregor, Ewen Bremner, Jonny Lee Miller, Robert Carlyle, Shirley Henderson, James Cosmo
Directed by: Danny Boyle
Rating: R
Genre: Drama
2017

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: After 20 years, Mark (Ewan McGregor) returns and reunites with his old friends.

Review:

Tim: It's still a little hard to believe that 20 years after the original film, Danny Boyle and the cast reunited for this sequel. The original Trainspotting is a film that's stayed with me over the years. I've only seen it once (as of this writing), but I never forgot it. The images of the dead baby, the disgusting toilet scene, the four friends and their misadventures- it all stuck with me. Boyle created a really good movie, a memorable film that you can never quite shake. So, it was exciting to see what he'd do after two decades.

As you might expect, this film isn't quite as good as the original- but I was shocked that it got really close. This might not be as effective as the first film, but it's a legitimately good film in its own right. It was incredibly fun to check in on these characters after two decades. I have to say that I loved where the story had each of them- it felt completely logical and authentic to who these characters were. There was no attempt at sugarcoating or twisting these characters into someone they weren't. Where we see these characters in this film feels totally accurate to where these people would probably be. I marveled at how authentically we were able to drop back into these characters' lives. That is still the highlight of this film- seeing where these characters are, learning how the events of the first film shaped their lives.

It was incredible seeing these four actors together again. Ewan McGregor once again deserves the top billing. He's such an underrated actor and it was great fun seeing him inhabit this role again. Renton is a fascinating character and I loved getting another peek at his life. Jonny Lee Miller was great fun as Simon. He's crazy and unpredictable and exactly what we'd expect from Sick Boy. The interactions between McGregor and Miller were so fun to watch. They're really good together. I loved seeing Ewen Bremner here. I like him and he gives a quietly exceptional performance. Robert Carlyle was good, but it felt like he had the hardest role here. He spends most of the movie by himself and his story isn't nearly as effective or interesting as the other three. It was good to see his whereabouts, but his story was easily the least effective of the bunch.

I do have to say that while the first film captured something that was so raw, so vivid, so memorable, this film doesn't reach those heights. It was so cool to see these characters again, but the film was missing the raw energy, the sense of you watching something dangerous, something you weren't suppose to see- something that was glorified but shouldn't have been. The first movie was so memorable because it had that sharp edge to it. This movie is certainly blunted. So, it's fun, it's entertaining, it's the right length- but it doesn't quite have that same level of magic.

So, while this film isn't quite up to par, I still very much enjoyed T2 Trainspotting. It was nice to reflect on the first film and see this talented cast reunited. I, for one, am very glad this film was made.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Trainspotting, Millions, Slumdog Millionaire