Carl Roberts 
“Train Dreams is a delightful and moving drama, beautifully shot, highly emotional, and with a superb performance from Joel Edgerton.”
Train Dreams is a drama directed by Clint Bentley, who co-wrote the screenplay with Greg Kwedar. It is based on the 2011 novella of the same name by Denis Johnson. The film is due for release in select cinemas on November 7th before premiering on Netflix on November 21st. Featuring an outstanding cast led by Joel Edgerton, Felicity Jones, Clifton Collins Jr., Kerry Condon, and William H. Macy, the film looks fantastic. But can the movie rise and become a genuinely moving and heartfelt drama for the ages? Or does it run out of steam long before the end?
PREMISE
Logger Robert Grainier (Edgerton) works to develop the railroad across the United States, causing him to spend vast amounts of time away from his wife (Jones) and daughter, and he is struggling with his place in a changing world.
THOUGHTS
Make sure you grab the tissues, you’re going to need them. The film is astonishing. From the moment it starts until the very end, the viewer is in for a rollercoaster ride of emotions. From joy, anger, heartbreak, sorrow, resiliance, and triumph, the film packs it all into an incredible 102 minutes. Featuring Will Patton’s dulcet tones serving as the film’s narrator, it is hard to find anything here that doesn’t resonate. The film looks fantastic, too, with the locations Spokane, Metaline Falls, and Colville stunning us with their rugged beauty. Almost no frame of film is wasted bringing the tale of Robert Grainier to the screen.
JOEL EDGERTON
Joel Edgerton as Robert Grainier delivers a performance that ranks among his best. Here, he presents us with a character of such emotion, feeling, heartbreak, and depth. This is an outstanding piece of acting from the Australian star. He could, and rightfully, should be nominated for Best Actor during the upcoming awards season. He brings a sense of warmth to Grainier that we can’t help but embrace. It is he we follow throughout the film, hardly missing a scene. It is his life and journey we take, with every up and down he ever faces. By the time the end credits roll, we find tears rolling down our cheeks. The emotional depth he brings to the role cannot be understated. This is a performance for the ages.
We watch as Robert meets and marries Gladys (a superb Felicity Jones) and becomes a father. We also watch his despair as he leaves his wife and daughter to travel and work as a logger deep in America’s forests. It is here that we see the hostility towards foreign labourers amongst the loggers, ending with one being thrown from a bridge to his death. Robert could have prevented this. But he realises that to do so would probably mean his own demise at the hands of his fellow loggers. Through his friendship with an old logger and explosives expert, Arn Peeples (a brilliant William H. Macy), we see a man trying his best for his family.
A LIFE LIVED
Following several tragedies, including a devastating one, Robert’s life changes. We find ourselves hurting for him, wanting him to find a happy ending. Joel Edgerton makes us believe in him and love him. From these sad and emotional moments in Robert’s life, we watch him go from despair and heartbreak to a growing closeness with Claire Thompson, a forestry services worker (Kerry Condon, excellent). By the time we reach the end, Robert has lived a whole life. He has endured everything a man can and still manages to live a fulfilling life. With one final triumph marking the end of the tale, we can’t help but applaud what we have seen. With the weight of the story landing heavily and almost entirely on his shoulders, Joel Edgerton takes the burden with relative ease.
WRITING AND DIRECTION
The screenplay by Clint Bentley and Greg Kwedar is superb. Everything the original novella contained is here for us to discover. It is rich with characterisation, drama, emotion, and triumph. Instead of being one of those movies that rely on violence, strong language, and lots of gunplay, we get a measured, heartwarming moral tale that sticks with us long after the film ends. Bentley and Kwedar have delivered an adaptation that should be nominated, if not rewarded, for its sheer emotional impact.
Bentley’s direction is also superb. The way he presents the film, draws incredible performances from his cast, and uses his stunning locations adds to the sheer weight and charm. Hardly any shot is wasted; it is all up there on the screen. Bentley has crafted a film that resonates throughout, lifting us high before crashing us to the ground. He allows the emotion, the story, and the cast to breathe, making the film one of the finest we have seen all year.
VERDICT
Train Dreams is a delightful and moving drama, beautifully shot, highly emotional, and with a superb performance from Joel Edgerton. Without a doubt, the film is one of the top ten best movies of 2025. It drags us through the emotional wringer, but it also warms our hearts along the way. As we reach the emotional, triumphant climax, we find ourselves reaching for the tissues to dry our eyes. Even I, a hardened film critic, will admit that I had to stem the flow of tears at the end. This film had me in its palm and gently held me throughout. Apart from only a couple of other films this year, Train Dreams got me right in the feels. And I’m not ashamed to admit it.
My only real complaint is that the film has only a token run in theatres before heading to streaming on Netflix. It deserves much more than that. Again, like some other films I’ve seen this year that have been handled the same way, it’s a real shame that films like this are not given a decent run at the box office. This is what cinema was made for. A good old-fashioned drama that never fails to hold our attention. It isn’t one of those CGI-heavy films that occupy virtually every screen at the local multiplex. It is a heartwarming movie that would have been a solid hit, one that deserves to be revisited time and again. Buy your ticket, take your seat, and allow Train Dreams to sweep you away. A complete triumph.
Train Dreams will be in select cinemas on November 7th and on Netflix from November 21st.
Introducing Carl! As the News Editor at Future of the Force, Carl has been an invaluable member of our team since early 2016. His expertise and dedication have made him an integral part of our editorial staff. Beyond his professional role, Carl is a fervent supporter of Liverpool F.C. and an avid follower of pop culture. He has a deep passion for Halloween, Friday the 13th, and the iconic movie franchises Star Wars and Star Trek.
He can be found either at his neighborhood cinema, enjoying the latest releases on the big screen, or at home streaming the newest blockbuster movies.
