Title: T2: Trainspotting
MPAA Rating: R
Director: Danny Boyle
Starring: Ewan McGregor, Ewen Bremner, Jonny Lee Miller
Runtime: 1 hr 57 mins

What It Is: We return 20 years after the events of the original Trainspotting. Now everyone’s favorite group of heroin addicts are back. Begbie (Robert Carlyle) has been in jail for the entirety of this period. Spud (Bremner) has been in and out of 12 step programs trying to figure it all out. Sickboy is now known by his real name Simon (Miller), he’s blackmailing politicians and using his girlfriend Veronika (Anjela Nedyalkova). Lastly, there’s Renton (McGregor) who if you’ll remember took the money and ran. Well, 20 years later that’s going to catch up to him. 

What We Think: I really enjoyed this. It was a fitting sequel. Danny Boyle continues his tear of films that I enjoyed. When you look at Steve Jobs and thinks like Slumdog Millionaire you just know he’s one of the best directors on the planet. Ewan McGregor is once again great and Robert Carlyle maintains Begbie’s insanity. A lot of throwbacks and subtle hints to the first film, but you don’t need to have seen that one to truly enjoy this. All of the cast still have their chemistry and that really just sort of works.

Our Grade: B+, This is the sort of long-awaited sequel that works really well. I’m going to go ahead and recommend this film highly. It’s enjoyable and like I said doesn’t require you to have seen the first, but really if you’ve never seen the first one WTF guys? Boyle keeps everything crisp, as he normally does. All of the acting feels natural, probably due to the chemistry of the leads. Check this one out if you’re looking for a good movie to throw on and just enjoy. No preconceptions necessary.