1997’s Trainspotting, directed by the
previously-lauded
Danny Boyle, is one of my all-time favourite films. As much as a retooling of A
Clockwork Orange as it is a bladed lower-middle class answer to it, it is a
pitch-black comedic look at addiction, what it means to be a junkie and how
“getting a fix” extends to using people as much as your chosen drug. Through
its incredible acting and acknowledgement of the misanthropic tendencies of its
main characters, it stands as one of the greatest drug films ever made. The
fact that it put both Boyle and lead actor Ewan McGregor on the map is laudable
but barely a footnote in comparison to how enthralling it is on its own. You
better believe, even knowing what happened with Boyle and writer John Hodge’s
last 90’s throwback collaboration, that I was eagerly anticipating this
follow-up. With how my scepticism never wanes even in the presence of promising
works, let’s see how well this decades-removed continuation turned out.
Movies like this make me love this job. Not just because
they give a lot of material to work with for a review, but also because this
kind of high-concept storytelling makes it remarkably to sum up why this film
is worth watching: It’s a Scottish Christmas zombie musical comedy. And the
best part is that, while that kind of five-car genre pile-up works so well at
selling the movie that writing a review may seem pointless, there is actually
something quite special at the heart of this production. But all in good time;
let’s get into this truly wondrous film.
