Original artwork, not a still
Trainspotting ‧ 1993
He wonders if perhaps Sick Boy’s success with women is based on his ability to raise one eyebrow. Renton knows how difficult it is. He’d spent many an evening practicing the skill in front of the mirror, but both brows kept elevating simultaneously.
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
The passage imagines that one man's romantic success may hinge on a single skill: lifting one eyebrow. Another man knows how hard that is, having practised for many evenings before a mirror, only to see both brows rise together. The humour lies in envy and small, comic failure.
Context reviewed
