T2 Trainspotting (1 Viewer)

[steve jaros]

I am a big fan of Trainspotting, I recall seeing it in the theater during summer of 1996 and I've owned it on several home media formats since, so I was intrigued about this sequel but also concerned because of the 20 year gap.

Worries were unfounded! I can heartily recommend T2. The entire original cast is back and they slip right in to character as if the events of T took place yesterday not 20 years ago. A fast-paced story that stands own, the film also does an excellent job of tying in the present-day story with the events of 1995/1996.

There's no way that T2 could ever have the same kind of cultural impact of T, which was a zeitgeist-defining artifact of the mid-90s Britpop era. That said, it's hard for me to imagine how a sequel could be any better than this.

85/100

 

[TravisR]

Until I saw the trailer, I had serious doubts about them even making a sequel (you can't go home again) but the movie looked good so I saw it and was quite happy. Funny, well acted and oddly touching. It's not a sequel that was needed but it worked much better than I had hoped. The 'Choose Life' run was fantastic and the music & the never ending pullback at the end was also a wonderful stroke.

I saw the first one in the theater a couple of times when I was a teenager and a million times on laserdisc thanks to friends in college so the original has a special place in my heart. Due to seeing it so many times, I haven't watched the movie in more than 15 years but I had a great nostalgic trip seeing it again prior to seeing the sequel.

 

[steve jaros]

I've seen over 40 movies so far this year and T2 is in my top five. It not only does the OG justice but it stands on its own as a funny and exciting caper movie.

 

[Colin Jacobson]

Did the original movie make any discussion of the relationship between Begbie and Renton?

The "sequel" posits them as childhood classmates - it explains Begbie was held back, so that accounts for his age to a degree, but it still seems like a stretch since Carlyle is 10 years older than everyone else in the cast.

Anyway, just wondering if the first film ever discussed this - I don't think it did, but I can't recall!

 

[TravisR]

I don't think it's specified one way or the other in the original but like you, I thought of Begbie as a guy they met hanging out at the bar or through criminal ventures rather than having known him when they were kids.

 

[Colin Jacobson]

I don't think it's specified one way or the other in the original but like you, I thought of Begbie as a guy they met hanging out at the bar or through criminal ventures rather than having known him when they were kids.

Yeah, it's kinda bizarre that they now want us to view Renton and Begbie as childhood mates whose bond goes back to Kindergarten!

That seemed especially true in 1996, as Carlyle looked a LOT older than the other 3 leads back then. No way I could've bought Begbie and Renton as peers then.

Carlyle has aged very well, though, so the age differences don't seem particularly notable now - heck, Ewen Bremner probably looks older than Carlyle circa 2016! - but it still is a head-scratcher to think of Begbie and Renton as Kindergarten classmates...

 

[Greg_S_H]

Saw this last night. Fantastic movie. I don't know if I've seen a sequel this far removed that fits together with the original so well. I could have done with a little more Kelly Macdonald--I could listen to that woman read the phone book--but it's kind of admirable that they let the size of her role be dictated by the story instead of shoehorning her into Mark's life. Overall, I don't know how they could have done a better return.

 

[Colin Jacobson]

Saw this last night. Fantastic movie. I don't know if I've seen a sequel this far removed that fits together with the original so well. I could have done with a little more Kelly Macdonald--I could listen to that woman read the phone book--but it's kind of admirable that they let the size of her role be dictated by the story instead of shoehorning her into Mark's life. Overall, I don't know how they could have done a better return.

Did you watch the deleted scenes? There's more Macdonald in those.

Boyle also discusses why they left her with a smaller role in the final cut...

 

[Greg_S_H]

No, I just rented it on Vudu. I'll look to see if that included extras, but I'm not sure.

I do have a question, which I suppose would be best in spoilers:

Spoiler

In the scene with the upside-down footage of horses, was Mark really doing heroin or was that an imaginary sequence? I don't remember right now what made it seem like it wasn't supposed to be really happening at all, but someone online said it was Mark doing heroin for the first time in years.

 

[Colin Jacobson]

No, I just rented it on Vudu. I'll look to see if that included extras, but I'm not sure.

Oh - sorry! I just assumed you had a "hard copy". I'm still so disc-based that I forget other options exist!

I found someone posted all the deleted scenes on YT, so if you dig, you'll find more Diane here:

I do have a question, which I suppose would be best in spoilers:

Spoiler

In the scene with the upside-down footage of horses, was Mark really doing heroin or was that an imaginary sequence? I don't remember right now what made it seem like it wasn't supposed to be really happening at all, but someone online said it was Mark doing heroin for the first time in years.

I'm pretty sure

Spoiler

that scene was "really happening" and not imaginary. I might be wrong, but I don't recall anything that left the vibe that Mark just fantasized about doing H again...

 

[Greg_S_H]

Thanks! I'll check that out. As for the scene in question, I guess I was fooled because I believe they reused the needle footage from the original movie to lead in to it.

 

[Greg_S_H]

Ah, shite. Mpst of the Diane scenes have no audio. Was there audio for those on the BR? Overall, I like the movie without most of these scenes. I'm glad Begbie's revenge on the lawyer was cut.

 

[Colin Jacobson]

Ah, shite. Mpst of the Diane scenes have no audio. Was there audio for those on the BR? Overall, I like the movie without most of these scenes. I'm glad Begbie's revenge on the lawyer was cut.

Yeah, they had audio on the BD - not sure why they're muted on YT. Copyright?

 

[WillG]

Do any of the deleted scenes explain why no authorities came to try to apprehend Begbie at his family's house where he was staying