On the surface, Clint Bentley’s Train Dreams might seem no different from many other period pieces about 20th century Americana. But this adaptation of Denis Johnson’s 2011 novella doesn’t keep its beauty limited only to that simple observation, instead we’re observing life passing by as it might have felt for its hermit protagonist. That alone would be enough for the landscapes we’re seeing here to completely envelop you from start to finish. Although given the many years which this story spans, it feels as if we’re watching time pass by without the realization that it might be too late to catch up. This alone helps with the creation of a wholly poetic experience out of Train Dreams, and one of the year’s most beautiful films.
Joel Edgerton stars as Robert Grainier, a man who has worked through the logging industry to develop railroads through the United States, often putting himself at great distance from his own wife, Gladys (Felicity Jones) and daughter. Through this own days of labour, Robert has witnessed America through major turning points in the country’s history; especially in its most destructive periods. While a passive observer of these moments as they unravel around himself, they also paint a clear picture inside Grainier’s head about the very nation he’s helping to build. But nonetheless, he still sees the world around him in constant motion – to a point where things have moved by so fast, he never has time for himself. In this story, spanning decades through American history, we’re seeing how guilt continually followed Robert Grainier as he’s witnessed many tragedies, before things catch up to him on a personal level.
Comparisons to the work of Terrence Malick almost feel inevitable with how Clint Bentley observes the Americana landscapes through the many eras which Train Dreams spans, but also through the evocative cinematography, courtesy of Adolpho Veloso. For a movie built around the history of the United States at the turn of the 20th century, it feels fitting we’re seeing it observed through a man who strikes you as nothing more than ordinary. It’s enough for Clint Bentley to adapt Denis Johnson’s prose to the screen, given that it’s also being narrated beautifully by Will Patton. But you’re also allowed the perfect window to see this story unfold the way that Grenier saw it as a result, and thus the film’s remarkable visuals can envelop you so quickly. Bentley’s commitment to a novelistic storytelling approach perhaps gives you a great sense of immersion into a constantly changing world, even to the point that you start attaching yourself to Grenier’s passiveness.
But at a certain point, we’re seeing how Grenier’s reserved nature creates a greater tragedy. He never had much time to spend with his loved ones, even while we’re observing his life at work constantly. With every new character he meets on his journey, there’s a fear coming from inside of Grenier’s not realizing how much he has been living on borrowed time. And thus the heartbreak becomes more exemplified as tragedy enters his life. Edgerton’s performance grows fittingly from this point onward, from being a passing observer of America’s treatment of immigrant workers, to trying to reconcile with his reservedness. It may be the best performance of Edgerton’s career, owing to how Grenier is making amends with the lost time he’s spent working without ever taking a minute to question his legacy. And knowing the colonialist history of the United States ever since its declaration of independence in 1776; Bentley’s encouraging one to ask themselves how they also exist within this own position in history.
This alone would serve as the perfect template for a meditative story all about living in a shell, and being deprived of that ability to live the significant moments that would define your life. Most of Grenier’s life has been spent doing away at labour, with almost no time for his beloved wife. Felicity Jones may not have much screentime, but there’s no denying that the brief moments where she takes the screen ultimately leave behind some sort of impact. Equally powerful are the appearances of William H. Macy, Clifton Collins Jr., and Kerry Condon, among the vast range of characters that Grenier witnesses through the years. Their many walks of life all build up to the realization that there’s so much more to the world around Grenier than he would have ever been willing to venture into. It’s all very beautiful, and Bentley helps ensure it all feels so fully realized in turn.
Through a sheltered perspective like that of its protagonist, Clint Bentley and Greg Kwedar allow the scope to grow naturally alongside him too. And there’s never a moment where the two of them lose sight of the intimacy that’s felt as Robert Grenier seeks out more from his mortality as he’d taken it all for granted. Like the landscapes where Train Dreams is set, you’re sensing that this natural beauty is something that won’t last forever. So the least you can do, is just allow yourself to enjoy it while it lasts. In adapting Denis Johnson’s novella to the screen, they find a way to maintain Johnson’s poetic prose through its observations about the workforce that defined 20th century America. The end result of this, is something so deeply melancholic and intimate, you get hit where you least feel prepared for it.
Watch the trailer right here.
All images via Netflix.
Directed by Clint Bentley
Screenplay by Clint Bentley, Greg Kwedar, from the novella by Denis Johnson
Produced by Marissa McMahon, Teddy Schwarzman, Will Janowitz, Ashley Schlaifer, Michael Heimler
Starring Joel Edgerton, Felicity Jones, Clifton Collins Jr., Kerry Condon, William H. Macy, Will Patton
Premiere Date: January 26, 2025
Running Time: 102 minutes
Cinema from the Spectrum 
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