Texas filmmakers Clint Bentley and Greg Kwedar, the duo behind the Oscar-nominated “Sing Sing,” return for another quietly powerful film, “Train Dreams.” Opening in limited theaters since Nov. 7 and streaming on Netflix from Nov. 21, the film presents a haunting and spiritual exploration of what it means to live a life worth living, set at the turn of the 20th century.
Told through Will Patton’s calm and omniscient narration, “Train Dreams” invites viewers into the story of Robert Grainier (Joel Edgerton), a laborer for the development of the railroad that transformed America’s landscapes. Orphaned at a young age, Grainier lives a quiet and almost meaningless life until he meets Gladys (Felicity Jones) and builds a home and family with her. When life hits Grainier in unexpected ways, he must grapple with a changing and cruel world and attempt to find his place in it.
Joel Edgerton (“Dark Matter”) delivers a moving performance as Grainier. With minimal dialogue, Edgerton communicates volumes through his silence, with his sullen eyes and world-weary face carrying the unshakeable sense that life is punishing him. Edgerton’s sorrowful and stoic portrayal of Grainier feels incredibly authentic and striking as the audience journeys with him in understanding pain.
Edgerton and Jones’ combined performances as Grainier and Gladys are tender and radiate a pure love in a simple world. Grainier’s love for Gladys and their daughter Kate feels infinite, and “Train Dreams” captures the beauty of their family in such an intimate way that it envelops the audience, like the sunlight streaming through the cabin Grainier and Gladys built for themselves.
A film without a traditional narrative structure, “Train Dreams” unfolds like life itself: quietly, unevenly and without explanation. Audiences are urged to examine their own lives and whether they may be waiting for a happy ending that doesn’t exist.
Visually, “Train Dreams” is nothing short of breathtaking. Cinematographer Adolpho Veloso captures the grandeur of nature and the American landscape with still shots, forcing viewers to take in the breathtaking views and devastation following a forest fire and man-made railroads. The camera focuses on every tree that is cut down to advance the railroads and lumber industry, making sure audiences hear and feel every thud of a tree falling.
The film’s color palette tells its own story, with bright and colorful sunsets lighting Grainier’s days with his daughter and Gladys, then dimmed into ash and shadow without them.
In the final moments of the film, Grainier sees his reflection in a mirror for the first time in over a decade. “Train Dreams” is a mirror held up for anyone who wonders if they’re ever truly living or simply surviving. The film offers a story that encapsulates the process of learning that even in pain, life continues.
4 ½ trees out of 5
