Essay Questions

T2 Trainspotting uses similar themes to the original movie. In how far is the movie similar or different to Trainspotting?

Compared to the first movie, T2 Trainspotting has similar main themes, which include a commentary on drug abuse, family life, violence and friendship. What separates the movie from the original is the stronger focus on a comedic element and the more positive outcome in the end. The movie succeeds in revisiting the same characters as the first movie after a long break but takes some of their bleak character elements and turns them around. The redemption of drug users is one of the main feature of the sequel.

T2 Trainspotting addresses societal issues like violence and drug abuse. How are these aspects discussed within the movie?

The movie addresses these topics from both a serious and a comedic perspective. While drug abuse is mainly depicted from its negative side, in contrast to the original movie, the movie addresses violence in a different manner. The characters are often seen being violent, but in some instances violence is justified by the outcomes. While self defense is often cited as a valid reason for violence, the fan service of using a toilet seat to incapacitate somebody goes beyond this original need. While the movie tries to redeem most of the characters introduced in the original, the strong focus on drugs and violence and their effect on family life dampen the generally comedic mood of the movie.

T2 Trainspotting has Edinburgh as its main scenery. Which aspects of Scottish culture and heritage are depicted in the movie?

If one disregards the scenery, especially in the scene when Mark and Sick Boy have to walk naked back to Edinburgh, the movie takes little of the local cultural heritage into account. The characters are modern, partly failed human beings whose residence in Scotland is more of a coincidence than a plot device. While film critics might argue that the style of the movie, especially the original, has some very Scottish elements in it, these are hard to find for the layman. However, the bleak weather and general gloomy feel of the Scottish landscape fit the atmosphere of the movie perfectly.