Trainspotting 2 Movie Review

Released: 27th January 2017 (UK)

Length: 117 Minutes

Certificate: 18

Director: Danny Boyle

Starring: Ewan McGregor, Ewan Bremner, Jonny Lee Miller, Robert Carlyle and Anjela Nedyalkova

Trainspotting has gone down as one of the most revered British films; after a twenty year wait, Danny Boyle and the original cast have returned to the cult classic, though this time things have certainly taken a step back in terms of both tone and focus.

Having been away from Scotland, Renton finally returns to his childhood home in Edinburgh, reuniting with Simon “Sickboy” Williamson (Jonny Lee Miller) and Spud Murphy (Ewen Bremner) and mucking in with a scheme from Sickboy to build a brothel on the outskirts on the city. However, the psychopathic Begbie (Robert Carlyle) has escaped from prison and wants Renton dead for stealing money from a drug deal twenty years before. More misadventures and nasty moments are abounding as the lads past friendships are put to the test. Moving away almost completely from its drug fuelled pacing, Trainspotting 2 is a story of wistful middle-aged men going through hard times and disappointment. This is immediately apparent as the film reintroduces us to the characters, who are all down on their luck. They soon turn back to crime, only this time it’s more of a caper rather than petty felonies to grab more heroin. It’s a very nostalgic film with the characters seeing echoes of their past lives, but the film still takes care not use too many call-backs to the original. There’s still plenty of humour to be found here alongside a higher dose of emotion with the introduction of families and reminiscing on some of the harder times faced previously. It certainly isn’t fast-moving like its predecessor and those expecting a similar pacing will be disappointed; ultimately Trainspotting 2’s plot speaks to those who saw the original two decades ago, implanting its theme of a mid-life crisis onto the audience in a rather poignant way.

Looking very out of place in the 21^st Century, Trainspotting 2 keeps its characters consistent with the first film. Renton has been suitably subdued for the sequel, his narrations kept low while maintaining that sense of morality at the end of the first film. Spud has been given more influence this time around and his struggle just to find work and worth in a place so eager to reject him is one of the more emotive moments of the film. Miller adds a grouchy, ratty nature to Sickboy’s persona and Robert Carlyle’s Begbie goes straight for the craziness, a violent individual made even worse by twenty years in prison. While the main cast does a fine job returning to their old roles, others aren’t as well-portrayed. Veronika (Played by Bulgarian actress Anjela Nedyalkova) goes by really underused, mostly commenting on the action and only receiving a larger part towards the film’s end. The side characters are decidedly weaker this time as well; Kelly McDonald’s Diane, fellow conman Mikey Forrester (Played by Trainspotting author Irvine Welsh) and Renton’s father have very brief scenes, minimising the impact they could have had on the plot. The main cast performs well here, but by taking a step back from the strong side characters from before, the impact of T2 is lessened a bit.

Boyle’s inventive filmmaking style returns for Trainspotting 2 and it once again works to sell the wackier moments of the film; a set of CCTV footage is cut against the robberies committed by Renton and Sickboy whereas a rather awkward scene in a Protestant swing club bounces on and off the stage. The film works in oodles of modern tech, lingo and other references to the current times, further emphasising the distance between the two films. This is matched by the film’s brighter colour palette, creating a further disconnect between the characters and the modern society they inhabit. A few modern tracks creep into the soundtrack this time around, alongside remixes of tracks from the original film. Born Slippy by Underworld is echoing, slow and methodical for T2, indicating a tired tone that hangs over the character’s dissatisfaction. Towards the end of the film, strong shadow work and gloomy lighting engulfs its climax, a perfect analogy for what the friendships between the characters have turned into. Ultimately the presentation is a great throwback for the director which implements elements of today’s society without any real issues.

Trainspotting 2 is well made and acted, making a few stumbles where the original did not. It can’t really measure up to the supercharged pacing the film had before but it is nevertheless a well thought out sequel that takes advantage of the twenty-year gap to deliver a more sentimental tone and plot.

Rating: 3.5/5 Stars (Good)