Movie Review: ‘Train Dreams’
Plot: Based on the novella by Denis Johnson, Train Dreams tells the story of Robert Grainier (Joel Edgerton) of Bonners Ferry, Idaho. Born in the late 19th century, the film follows Grainier over 80 years as he works for the Spokane International Railway, becomes a husband to wife Gladys (Felicity Jones) and a father to daughter Kate. Throughout his eight decades, Robert experiences triumph, tragedy, and fulfillment as the landscape of America vastly changes.
Review: Movies are magic. I’ve always felt that way. They have the ability to transport you to worlds that only exist in the realm of human fantasy, or drop you directly into the daily experiences of a WWII battalion. As a cinephile, I gravitate toward films with great stories and dynamic plots. Give me a fantastic story and characters I care about (or hate) and you will have my money ten out of ten times. Yet I fully recognize that there are movies that exist that eschew plot and character and instead focus on producing a certain mood or atmosphere. They are often referred to as “vibe movies”. Films like Lost in Translation or The Tree of Life fit the bill. It’s not about story but about evoking certain emotions. Perhaps because I love character and plot, I tend to dislike “vibe” movies. There are exceptions like Blade Runner or In the Mood for Love. By and large though, I’ll take an intricate film like Knives Out over say Picnic at Hanging Rock.
Director Clint Bentley’s Train Dreams happens to be one of those exceptions.
Driven by a career defining performance from Joel Edgerton and some truly beautiful cinematography from Adolpho Veloso, Train Dreams is simply one of the best films of 2025 and an incredibly unique experience. Ethereal, captivating, melancholic, but ultimately hopeful, it’s a movie that you need to experience. In fact the experience almost defies description to the point that I’m finding it difficult to put this review into words. It’s the ultimate “you had to be there” picture.
Ostensibly the film follows the life of Robert Grainier, mostly during the first few decades of the 20th century. It was an interesting time period because although America was rapidly changing technologically, the majority of men and women were still living like it was the late 1800s. Things like indoor plumbing, cars, and telephones were uncommon. You needed to live off the land more often than not, especially in rural areas and the work was backbreaking and dangerous.
Train Dreams is an examination of that type of lifestyle, with Grainier a typical man of that era. He’s mostly aimless until he starts working for the Spokane International Railway. He finds comfort in the work outdoors amongst the sweeping vistas and dense forests. However, he’s also haunted by an incredible act of racist violence as a young man as he witnesses fellow white workers throw a Chinese worker off a bridge for unknown reasons. It’s not until he finds his wife Gladys, played brilliantly here by Felicity Jones, and has a child, that his life begins to have purpose. Yet he’s continually drawn away from them for long periods of time due to the nature of his job. And despite being a loving father and husband, it doesn’t preclude him from tragedy.
As I’ve stated there’s no real plot to speak of in Bentley and Greg Kwedar’s script. Rather it’s just a look at one man’s life. Think a more contemplative Jeremiah Johnson and you’ll be somewhere in the ballpark. We watch as people come in and out of Grainier’s life, whether it be Arn Peeples (William H. Macy) a friend and explosives expert or Claire Thompson (Kerry Condon) a forestry services worker who shares similar personality traits. Despite the time period, it’s honestly a realistic depiction of what it’s like for most of us. Certain people are in our lives for a very short amount a time but leave a lasting impact. Others are part of our lives for decades and seem indispensable. With Train Dreams, Bentley – whose direction is impeccable – conveys to his audience that both types of people are just as important for different reasons. I very much connected with that outlook.
Train Dreams also demonstrates how as time progresses, we often times feel out of touch with an ever changing world. You can see this when Grainier tries to operate a chain saw for the first time or when later in life he walks into town, amazed to watch John Glenn’s initial flight into space. You just know that not only is this the first time he sees a TV but it’s the first time he realizes that mankind has progressed to the point of space exploration. You feel the weight of that perspective from someone who lived through the first automobile, the Spanish Flu outbreak, and two World Wars. Grainier’s life evokes melancholy, wonder, and longing. It speaks to the quiet desperation of our souls in a way that not many films do anymore.
Through it all, Joel Edgerton anchors this film with an Oscar worthy performance. Edgerton’s Grainier is a quiet and stoic man. I’d be shocked if he has more than 80 lines in this entire film. Everything is conveyed through facial expressions and body movement. Edgerton is able to convey so much in a longing glance or sad smile. This is not an easy task and somewhat uncommon in a film landscape that too often considers silence a sin. Joel Edgerton’s performance manages to make the unremarkable, remarkable. Through his eyes, Grainier invites us to appreciate awe and majesty. Or as Arn says at one point in the movie, “Beautiful isn’t it? All of it.”
Train Dreams is a movie that’s stayed with me ever since I watched it several weeks ago on Netflix. You’ve heard of haunting movies? This movie haunts me but in the best way possible. It’s a film that reminds us sometimes the greatest reward we can gain on this plane of existence is a life well lived.
Even a simple one.
My rating system:
1 God Awful Blind Yourself With Acid Bad
2 Straight Garbage
3 Bad
4 Sub Par
5 Average
6 Ok
7 Good
8 Great
9 Excellent
10 A Must See
Masterpiece
Train Dreams: 9/10
