Remember me
I'd like to believe I'm a champion of the cinematic experience. Call me old school, but nothing beats the feeling of watching a movie on the big screen in a packed theater on a Friday night. I vividly remember how the audience exploded for Iron Man during his snap in Avengers: Endgame. I can still hear the screams from my theater when Chris enters the "sunken place" in Get Out. These are memories I'll always cherish.
Train Dreams would not have garnered those boisterous reactions inside a theater. I'll tell you this—Train Dreams left me speechless. Once the end credits started, I remained seated for 10 minutes on my couch, pondering my life and the choice that led me to that moment. You might ask why I would regret watching a Netflix movie in the comfort of my own home. Prior to its Netflix release, I could have seen future Oscar-nominee Train Dreams inside a theater. I stupidly passed on the opportunity, and now, I'm writing about this wonderful film as my penance.
Train Dreams is a beautiful meditation on life Ordinary is still specialRobert Grainier, played by a career-best Joel Edgerton, is a quiet man. As an orphaned child, Robert arrives in the Pacific Northwest on a train, a vehicle that will come to symbolize his life. Robert takes a job in railway construction, which takes him to new parts of the country. The sheer magnitude of the wilderness is a sight to behold. America is expanding through Robert's eyes as he becomes a watchful observer of his surroundings.
Director Clint Bentley, who co-wrote the script based on a Denis Johnson novella with Sing Sing collaborator Greg Kwedar, does a masterful job showcasing how an ordinary life can have meaning and purpose. Robert's 80-plus years of life are filled with triumph and tragedy; they have their highs and lows.
One of those highs is Gladys Olding Grainie, played by Felicity Jones. Robert and Gladys eventually marry, build a cabin alongside a river, and raise a child. These quiet moments show Robert at his happiest. From how his childhood started, Robert could never have dreamed of a life this special. Frankly, this peace is something we all search for.
In every life, there's balance, and Robert experiences heartbreak, including an unspeakable tragedy that would destroy any sane person. How can Robert move past the pain? Like Robert, most of us try to live with it. You bury it, put one foot in front of the other, and try to move on. The world can build you up just as easily as it can bring you down. That's a loud message in a quiet film.
Related
Train Dreams boasts stunning visuals and magnificent music
Small movie, big dreams
Credit: Netflix
Train Dreams is a visually driven movie. Robert uses his voice sparingly, as most of the story is told via narration by Will Patton. Robert expresses his emotions through his face, particularly through his eyes. Cinematographer Adolpho Veloso brilliantly captures Robert witnessing a changing America, one built on hope and promise. Robert is building tracks to growing cities and bridges to new futures.
Train Dreams has a folklore-esque soundtrack, so I was not surprised to learn that Bryce Dessner of The National scored the film. It's an emotional score, as Dessner's music plays more like poetry than a song.
Playing off the name, Robert's dreams are more like nightmares, as pivotal moments constantly replay in his life. One of those visions involves a Chinese worker he briefly bonded with on one of his long railway trips. One day, white workers attack the Chinese worker and throw him off the bridge to his death. A stunned Robert is left to wonder what the man did to deserve that fate and if he could have helped. These haunting looks from Robert are what make Edgerton's performance so stunning. There is no Shakespearean monologue for Edgerton to chew on. Edgerton's subtlety and silence speak volumes.
Terrence Malick clearly influenced Train Dreams. A character experiencing an existential crisis while trying to find peace is straight out of the Malick playbook. The sprawling visuals and use of natural light are also a Malick staple. Despite the influence, Train Dreams is not a Malick impression; it's more of an homage to a style of movie that few filmmakers can emulate. Bentley rises to the occasion in Train Dreams.
Train Dreams' Oscar chances Can Train Dreams walk away with a little gold man?
Credit: Netflix
This awards season, Train Dreams' ascension resembled The Little Engine That Could. After receiving rave reviews at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, Netflix acquired the distribution rights for Train Dreams and dated it for November, a prime awards season release. Heading into the fall, Netflix probably believed its two best chances to crack the Best Picture lineup would be with Frankenstein and Jay Kelly. Frankenstein held up its end of the bargain, but Jay Kelly fell off the tracks.
Instead of the star-studded Noah Baumbach movie, Academy voters sided with Bentley's moving period drama and nominated Train Dreams for Best Picture. Train Dreams received three additional Oscar nominations: Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, and Best Original Song.
Train Dreams, in all likelihood, will walk away with zero Oscars on Sunday. Train Dreams cracking the Best Picture lineup as a ten-million-dollar Sundance movie is a win in itself. It reminds me of my favorite sequence in the movie, when Kerry Condon's Claire Thompson interacts with Robert. Claire tells him, "The world needs a hermit in the woods as much as a preacher in the pulpit." The Oscars need Train Dreams just as much as they need One Battle After Another. It's all about balance.
Train Dreams
Release Date November 7, 2025
Runtime 102 minutes
Director Clint Bentley
Watch the 2026 OscarsBefore sitting down for the Oscars on March 15, do yourself a favor and make some time to stream Train Dreams on Netflix. Then, tune in to see if One Battle After Another or Sinners will be the big winner at the 2026 Oscars, which will air on Sunday night on ABC at 7 p.m. ET. For the first time ever, the ceremony will stream on Hulu.
Comments (0)