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 & 7 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 | drugs | homecoming | prostitute | 

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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

Did You Know?

Trivia

Many 'flashback' scenes were cut from the final cut of the movie. These included more scenes of young Sick Boy and Renton as seen in the movie. They also included 'John Bell' as a young Spud, with actors Conor Mullen and John Gray as a young Begbie.

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Goofs

Spud and Renton both state that Renton left Spud £4,000 at the end of Trainspotting. "His share." If you go back and watch Trainspotting the money is in £2,000 bundles. Renton only leaves 1 bundle in the box at the airport.

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Quotes

Diane: This consultation was free. Shall we go forward. Here is the cost.
[hands Mark a piece of paper]
Renton: Why, that's very reasonable.
Diane: Its an hourly rate.

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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

References The Heat (2013)

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Soundtracks

Wot Do U Call It?
Performed by Wiley
Written and produced by Wiley (as Richard Kylea Cowie)
(P) 2004 XL Recordings Ltd
Licensed courtesy of XL Recordings Ltd
Published by BMG Rights Management UK Ltd., a BMG Company

User Reviews

Great follow-up to a brilliant movie

20 years after betraying his friends and running off with (almost) all the money from a scam, Mark Renton is back in Edinburgh. It is his first time back since the events that split him, Spud and Simon apart. He looks up Spud and Simon but their lives are hardly much better than when he last saw them. Spud, after getting his life together, has seen it all unravel, to the point that he is suicidal. Simon is running his father's loss-making pub, in between bouts of blackmail. Meanwhile, the fourth person in their caper of 20 years' ago, the psychotically intense Begbie, is in jail. He has no intention of staying incarcerated and revenge is foremost on his mind...

The original Trainspotting was brilliant. Funny, gritty and harrowing it dealt with the issue of drug addiction in a suffocatingly intense yet humorous way. It wasn't just about drug addiction but friendship and, ultimately, about a crime caper and betrayal.

Directed by Danny Boyle, who directed Trainspotting 1, Trainspotting 2 doesn't have the grimness of the first movie, as the drug addiction side is hardly a factor. For me, that is what made Trainspotting 1 a masterpiece, the way it covered drug addiction in a realistic yet humorous manner. T2 is more about friendship and the after-effects of T1's betrayal, resulting it being more of an action-revenge sort of movie.

Plot is good, though there are some contrivances and inconsistencies. Quite emotional at times too, as we see some loops from T1 closed, friends reunited and 40-somethings taking stock of their lives.

Humour-wise, T2 is great, and as good as, if not better than, T1. Some very funny scenes and dialogue.

Not essential that you've watched T1 to follow and enjoy T2, as there are enough flashbacks and other clues to fill you in on what happened in T1. However, watching T1 before T2 certainly would help the experience. There are plenty of side-references and subtle nods to T1 and these enhance the enjoyment of T2.

Overall, a great movie, though not in the same league as Trainspotting 1. Very funny at times, with a good plot and some interesting themes.

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official Twitter

Country:

UK

Language:

English Bulgarian Scots

Release Date:

31 March 2017 (USA)

Also Known As:

T2 Trainspotting

Filming Locations:

Edinburgh, Scotland, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$18,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$170,575, 19 March 2017

Gross USA:

$2,402,004

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$41,681,746

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