Earthly Ordinary, Cinematically Extraordinary
Screened at the Virginia Film Festival, Clint Bentley’s Train Dreams follows the life of an ordinary man and his experiences through different trials and tribulations. The film’s cinematography is the film’s greatest achievement and most prized possession. The film chronicles great performances from Joel Edgerton, Felicity Jones, William H Macy, and Kerry Condon, which round out the multifaceted storytelling.
What Dreams are Made of
Train Dreams follows the story of a logger named Robert Grainier in the early 20th century of Western America. In this exploration of Western civilization, Grainer’s exploration of life continues to unfold through love, loss, and industrial impacts on the expansion of the railroad. The film captures an endearing era in American history through the eyes of a man who is relevant to many. The film is at its best when remaining relatable and not straying from that path. The film’s ordinary sensibilities make it extraordinary in scale due to how sincere and real it is to the narrative. The film marks the beginning and end of life, and it is done in a way that is melancholic and serene, which makes it a character study in its own lane.
Clinton Bentley brings a documentary style of filmmaking to this film. This film feels like a day in the life of a family man who is making an honest living and trying to support his ideologies, alongside growing his own personal endeavors. With this comes many experiences with different people from all walks of life who add to the narrative, especially Edgerton’s in the film. One of the beauties of Train Dreams is not only the human connection, but the connection with animals and nature, beautifully sound and tonally structured. The way that Edgerton is one with nature as he is with human connection in this film, whether it’s through candor, strife, or even loss, he is forever changed by it. He feels things deeply in a way that reduces his character but widens the scope as to the fact that the audience is witnessing what he’s experiencing.
A Journey into the Woods
Joel Edgerton’s role in Train Dreams as the titular lead is familiar and resonates with anyone who comes across this film. He plays an everyday man making a living to support not only his endeavors but also his family. The film puts different people in his life, whether it be family, coworkers, or acquaintances, in times that share a level of relatability. What Edgerton does through these different facets of various people is put to the test as he is able to unlock a different facet of himself through his dialogue, which is diverse amongst everyone that he comes in contact with. His most endearing scenes are when he is with his daughter, and their chemistry is infectious beyond belief. Edgerton’s commitment and reverence throughout the film are what make his performance so memorable and will be remembered as a timeless character analysis.
Felicity Jones is a lot more reserved in this film as Edgerton’s wife. She’s in tune with her familial unit and adheres to her husband’s emotional needs as she sees him at his best and worst. Her moments revolve around raising their child, and in these moments, we see glimpses of her trying to build something that she and Edgerton can hold on to while he is off to work. Jones’s performance embeds a huge print on the film as the tides begin to turn, leaving Edgerton more vulnerable in the film’s narrative.
William H. Macy is the comedic relief of this film; he works with Edgerton and Leeds with wisdom.
There isn’t much to know about his character outside of the fact that he works with Edgerton and knows the outdoors well. It’s in his moments of bewildered solace where he is best received. This offers a perspective beyond what he wants others to portray him as, which is needed as the film continues to progress long after his departure.
Kerry Condon is barely in the film, but when she comes in, her entrance is worth the wait. She comes into the film’s narrative in a pivotal moment in Edgerton’s life, and she works alongside him as they share a similar experience. Her understanding of Edgerton, coupled with the experience that they both share, rejuvenates Edgerton. This shared revelation helps him find peace, coupled with moving forward with life and a new perspective.
Clint Bentley’s direction is sharp yet slow. With Train Dreams, he wants to take the audience through an experience that they will not forget. The film is earthly and outdoorsy, but the scope is beautifully curated. Bentley is great with subtle spectacle in his films, and Train Dreams is a bit more vivid, more so than anything he’s done, as it is more about movement than actual dialogue. Of all things, Bentley is committed to Edgerton, as this is an eyewitness account of what is happening around him and how he watches it change his life. Bentley never lets up on Edgerton, and even in the film’s ending, there is room for levity and continuation.
Scenic Dreams
Train Dreams ‘ most prized possession is the cinematography. Adolpho Veloso’s cinematography is unbelievably hypnotic. It is easy to get swept into the visuals as they are entrenched in the realism and filled with lively instruments. The cinematography is the film’s dialogue alongside the score, which works well with the cinematography, moving the film along and allowing the audience to travel along as the characters take a back seat to the cinematography’s bidding. Coupled with the cinematography is the lighting. The lighting is spotlight-heavy as it shines so beautifully on the characters in different moments of the film, whether it be due to elemental moments such as being in the sun or walking in the middle of the night. Everything with the lighting is intentional and beautifully detailed, showering perspective over the characters.
There were many instances in the film where some of the scenes in the wilderness felt like beautiful stills in a portrait. These moments were homely and quaint to a personal narrative. Every beautiful shot in the film is edited to the point where it’s easy to get lost and be saddened once certain skills and elements have progressed to different scenes. The film showcases so many earthly tones throughout the film through being in the woods, living in a cabin, and just seeing the seasons change, while not taking away from the cinematography’s design through different pacing. There are many moments throughout the cinematography where the lighting is glaring and haunting, showcasing a level of shock that Edgerton faces through his lived experiences in these moments. They are beautifully intricate to letting the audience know that there is a shift that is coming. Even in the film’s ending, the early atmosphere never leaves the narrative and sees the audience off with a lively scenic ambiance.
An Atmospheric Closing
Train Dreams is a vivid, yet lively and masterful cinematic achievement. The performances from Joel Edgerton, Felicity Jones, Kerry Condon, and William H Macy are all worthy of immense praise. The film works best as a destination that never ends, yet continues to develop even beyond its earthly essence through the lens of traumatic hardship it portrays.
See Train Dreams on Netflix today!
Train Dreams (2025) Official Netflix Teaser Trailer
Source: Dead Talk Live
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Author
Elke Simmons' writing portfolio includes contributions to The Laredo Morning Times, Walt Disney World Eyes and Ears, Extinction Rebellion (XR) News/Blog, and Dead Talk News.