T2 Trainspotting
By Sam Walker-Smart
Unbelievably over 20 years have passed since Danny Boyle’s barnstorming cult smash Trainspotting dropped, arguably the filmic event riding the ‘90s wave of Cool Britannia. Cries for a sequel never abated, and now Boyle and all original cast members have finally made their return to the silver screen.
Loosely based on author Irvine Welsh’s official sequel Porno, the film wisely moves the action to the present day, with Ewan McGregor’s Renton returning to a much-changed Edinburgh. Still consumed by guilt over the betrayal of his friends via the climactic heroin sale of the last film, Renton returns to the Scottish capital to seek out the motley crew and make amends. What follows is an excellently crafted musing on life, death, friendship and middle age.
Of course, this being a Trainspotting sequel, there’s still plenty of madness, dark humor and drug use to keep new and old fans on the edge of their seats. (Shown in English with Spanish subtitles.)