Right from the start, T2 Trainspotting—sequel to the 1996
black comedy drama Trainspotting—has
a very exceptional premise. It’s rare to
see a sequel in the “hood film”
genre, and while some will argue Trainspotting
doesn’t belong in such category, I’d counter there’s enough elements there (drug
use, trafficking, broken families, violence, a focus on young men
struggling/coming of age, etc.) for the film to classify. T2
is set 20 years after the first film with a “where are they now” concept: expanding
upon the original by offering both affectionate nostalgia and refreshing new
themes that actually improve upon Trainspotting’s
story and characters. Ambiguity can be
effective when it comes to “will these characters ultimately escape their destructive
lifestyles?” yet there are times where it’s even better to see such question
explored—which is exactly what T2 does: granting a very unique
opportunity to see how Trainspotting’s
characters have grown since the 90s.
