One thing I’ve always loved about Trainspotting is that even though Danny Boyle includes the sequence of the main characters running from the cops twice, the scenes are vastly different from one another. In the opening seconds of the film, Ewan McGregor’s addict, Renton, is running with Iggy Pop’s “Lust for Life” playing in the background, along with his philosophy on life. The second time, however, is less cheery and instead is heavier, having taken place immediately after one of the film’s most depressing scenes.
I mention this dichotomy because it best represents the experience I had upon revisiting one of the best ‘90s movies for the first time as a parent. Trainspotting hits so much differently as an adult with children of my own. Yeah, it’s mostly because of that one harrowing scene everyone always talks about, but that’s only part of it. Let me explain…
