T2 Trainspotting (2017)

After 20 years abroad, Mark Renton returns to Scotland and reunites with his old friends Sick Boy, Spud, and Begbie.

Director:

Danny Boyle

Writers:

John Hodge, Irvine Welsh (based on the books Porno and Trainspotting by)

Stars:

Ewan McGregor, Ewen Bremner, Jonny Lee Miller

6 wins & 5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ewan McGregor	...	Renton
Logan Gillies	...	Simon (aged 9)
Ben Skelton	...	Renton (aged 9)
Aiden Haggarty	...	Spud (aged 9)
Daniel Smith	...	Begbie (aged 9)
Elijah Wolf	...	Tommy (aged 9)
Robert Carlyle	...	Begbie / Begbie's Father
Steven Robertson	...	Stoddart
Ewen Bremner	...	Spud
John Kazek	...	Tom (Rehab Group)
Shirley Henderson	...	Gail
Charlie Hardie	...	Fergus (aged 9)
Scott Aitken	...	Farmer
Gordon Kennedy	...	Tulloch
Jonny Lee Miller	...	Simon

Storyline

First there was an opportunity......then there was a betrayal. Twenty years have gone by. Much has changed but just as much remains the same. Mark Renton (Ewan McGregor) returns to the only place he can ever call home. They are waiting for him: Spud (Ewen Bremner), Sick Boy (Jonny Lee Miller), and Begbie (Robert Carlyle). Other old friends are waiting too: sorrow, loss, joy, vengeance, hatred, friendship, love, longing, fear, regret, diamorphine, self-destruction and mortal danger, they are all lined up to welcome him, ready to join the dance.

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Plot Keywords:

old friends reunited | sequel | escape from prison | male impotence | snorting cocaine | 

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Taglines:

Face your past. Choose your future.

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Genres:

Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for drug use, language throughout, strong sexual content, graphic nudity and some violence

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official Twitter

Country:

UK

Language:

English Bulgarian Scots

Release Date:

31 March 2017 (USA)

Also Known As:

Porno

Filming Locations:

Edinburgh, Scotland, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$18,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$170,575, 19 March 2017, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$2,395,410, 19 May 2017

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$33,351,909, 20 March 2017

Company Credits

Production Co:

Artbees, DNA Films, Decibel Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

117 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

There's a very dreamy song that plays at least twice during the film. Most notably, when Renton is lying on the pool table after meeting Sick Boy in the bar. This song is called 'Deep Blue Day' by Brian Eno, off of his 1983 ambient album "Apollo: Atmospheres and Soundtracks" and was also featured in Trainspotting (1996) when Renton is swimming. Danny Boyle used Brian Eno's 'An Ending (Ascent)' from the same album in 28 Days Later... (2002).

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Goofs

When Renton meets Simon in his pub he is playing snooker on his own. In the first shot there are only red balls and a black ball . In the next shot a yellow ball appears on the table.

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Quotes

Spud: First, there's an opportunity. Then... there's a betrayal.

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Crazy Credits

The initial final credits appear over modified scenes of tower blocks and other buildings being demolished. Once the cast credits appear, the background changes to amorphous, swirling, mainly black/ white/ grey shapes.

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Connections

Spoofs Raging Bull (1980)

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Soundtracks

Rain or Shine
Performed by Young Fathers
Written by Graham Hastings, Kayus Bankole, Alloysious Massaquoi & Timothy London
Courtesy of Big Dada
Published by Just Isn't Music

User Reviews

It's as if they never left

Sequels long after its original is always risky business. Especially one that I did not think needed it. But director Danny Boyle is back with a follow-up to one of the most influential British films of all-time.

I had only seen Trainspotting for the first time several years ago. I remember being quite impressed by it, despite me never going nuts for drug-related films. I was more interested by the style of film- making and well developed characters. It also contain one of the most distressing scenes I have seen in any film.

21 years later, and now we see where the lads are now. I saw the trailer to see if it's going to be worth it, and I was surprised how good it looked. Some of the dialogue I was hearing sounded like we were instantly back in this mad environment. With the trailer doing plenty to get me intrigued, I had pretty solid hopes for a worth sequel.

Amazingly, I felt it managed to all come together. For something that I'm sure Boyle holds very dearly to his heart, you would expect him to never go near this work again. Especially when he has never done a sequel before. But we are now here, and I think everyone did a grand job. I did not get the sense that the makers made this for an easy box office return. I felt it was there to be an actual follow-up to the events from 1996, which is fantastic to see. The tone is definitely being aimed at the people who grew up with the original. With that in mind, it will be interesting to see how it works to the generation that are of the age the cast were in the original, and see if it can relate to a broad age range.

The gang are back, and all four of them were great in their performances. Honestly, it was like they had never left. Ewan McGregor holds the film well as Renton, has many strong moments and you can tell he is enjoying getting back in the saddle. Roberty Carlyle continues to be as hilarious as Begbie was back in the day. Ewen Bremner as Spud shines the most for me, was given great development and became such a pivotal part of this sequel. I was really surprised to see Johnny Lee Miller give a great performance, as it is only recently that he has got back into movie acting after being busy with a TV series.

Another thing some sections of the audience like to see with sequels, is the level of nostalgia. The use of that and memory was cleverly done. It felt like it meant something, instead of just making us think "I'd rather be watching the original".

I have only very minor negatives. There were moments that felt a bit scattered at times and did not feel that well connected to the main story.

I was not expecting this to be so enjoyable. Boyle and his done have done a great job by keeping this a down-to-earth story and making feel like it deserves a second installment. I think what the films big strengths are, is what made the original so successful. The characters are still as memorable as ever, the writing is sharp and funny when needed, the visuals are engrossing and impactful, and the soundtrack is strong. They also managed to make the film worth seeing for people who haven't even seen the original, which was impressive to see.

When you think about it, a lot of Danny Boyle's work is about friendship, and this one is no different. I will continue to be excited for his next project, after making what will probably one of the big surprises of 2017. What a start to the year!

Rating: 8/10