Train Dreams — Montclair Film Festival Review
Source: Netflix
At one point during Clint Bentley’s film Train Dreams, a character ponders, “Beautiful, ain’t it? All of it. Every bit of it.” That line perfectly sums up not only the film, but also life itself. Train Dreams isn’t just beautiful, it’s one of the most visually breathtaking films of the year. All of it. Every bit of it. From the warm, joyous moments to the devastating disasters and even the insubstantial bits in between.
Based on Denis Johnson’s 2011 novella of the same name, Greg Kwedar and Clint Bentley’s screenplay takes the story of an ordinary man and makes it feel extraordinary. The narrative isn’t anything groundbreaking, and that’s precisely the point. Robert Grainier (Joel Edgerton) is a logger who experiences love, loss, and all the ups and downs that life has to offer. Edgerton delivers one of the finest performances of his career in a role that’s understated, nuanced, and profoundly emotional. Felicity Jones also delivers a stellar supporting turn as his wife, Gladys.
Source: Netflix
These are regular people, the types of people they don’t typically make movies about. But that’s what makes this film feel so special. Most of us aren’t the types of people they make movies about. Most of us will never leave a mark or be remembered. But that doesn’t make our lives any less special. As one character in the film notes, “The dead tree is as important as the living one.” It may seem as though we’re all inconsequential in the grand scheme of things, but our lives are all connected like train tracks or the lifecycles of the trees. Much like a tree being chopped down in the forest, eventually we’ll be forgotten, and new trees will continue to grow, and some will fall while others will gradually wither away. Time goes on, and so does life.
The highlight of the film is Adolpho Veloso’s phenomenal cinematography. The masterful camerawork gorgeously captures how wondrous nature is, in all its beauty, cruelty, and even its mundanity. The way Veloso frames the elements, depicting staggering trees, flowing water, or a raging fire, calls to mind the best of Emmanuel Lubezki’s work. Between the stunning cinematography and Will Patton’s haunting voiceover narration that reveals the protagonist’s innermost thoughts and feelings, one could easily mistake Train Dreams for a Terrence Malick film. The narration also feels almost akin to that of Don Hertzfeldt’s It’s Such a Beautiful Day, exploring life’s most enigmatic and existential questions.
Bryce Dessner’s score is captivating and adds to the film’s meditative and melancholic atmosphere. The sound design brings the film’s rich, vibrant landscape to life. You can practically smell the sawdust in the air, hear the crunching of leaves beneath your feet, or feel the warmth of the sunshine on your face.
Thanks to the striking visuals, soul-stirring score, and powerful performances, Train Dreams fully immerses us in this man’s world for the entirety of his life from birth to death. We witness everything from his growth to grief. The film doesn’t answer any questions about the meaning of life. Instead, it illuminates the fact that it’s up to us to give it meaning. Train Dreams is a poignant, quietly powerful reminder that this life is so fragile and precious, but it’s all we’ve got, so we need to stop and take in all the subtle beauty that surrounds us while we still can.
Train Dreams screened at the Montcliar Film Festival on October 19, 2025. It will be released in select theaters on November 7th before streaming on Netflix on November 21st.
