Directed by Clint Bentley — Screenplay by Clint Bentley and Greg Kwedar.
Clint Bentley’s Train Dreams is a gripping character drama, based on Denis Johnson’s 2011 novella of the same name, that chronicles the life of a man named Robert Grainier (played by Joel Edgerton), a quiet and humble railroad construction worker and lumberjack. Among other things, over the course of the film, we witness him get to know others like him, fall in love, face heartbreaking loss, and experience some mysterious events in the woods of America.
Some might say that a film about a random taciturn lumberjack doesn’t sound like the most exciting narrative in the world, but I have to say that this is one of the highlights this year, when it comes to cinematic storytelling. It is a film that is chock-full of poignant themes and expert execution with regard to the music (Bryce Dessner’s score that achieves both longing regret and magical lightheartedness in the music that envelops the film), and the cinematography (the film looks and feels rather Malickian, which is to say that it resembles the work of Terrence Malick).
This is every bit as good as you may have heard. It is a naturalistic, poetic, and wonderfully shot film that sticks with you. I saw it several days ago, and I’ve not only recommended it to numerous people, but I also find myself thinking back to certain scenes often. It has moments of great beauty and deep sadness (you feel the sands of time slip through his fingers as technology and events flies past him), as well as moments when the supernatural or mythic in nature rears its head up (this could’ve taken away from the effect of the film, but often it is done with poetic subtlety or a light hand, and when it needs to be more direct or heavy-handed, there is an inherently human emotion tied to the mysteries of the world). As if that wasn’t enough, it also features arguably Joel Edgerton’s best performance (I loved the warmth of his and Felicity Jones’ characters in the film; they’re a great movie couple), and arguably William H. Macy’s best work in years, as he plays one of Grainier’s most memorable coworkers, who is a recurring character in the narrative.
I love that Train Dreams feels like you’re flipping through a paperback, meaning that it never outstays its welcome or spends too long on something, even if some beats may feel slightly repetitive eventually, to some. In fact, this structural choice (and relatively short runtime at just 102 minutes) speaks to the themes of the film really well. It is a film about time, love, and life. It is a film about the regrets and loves that haunt you, but also a near-constant desire or search for meaning or connection, and the hope that one day you will find it. It is not only one of the best films of the year, but also one of the best Netflix films ever made.
9 out of 10
– Review written by Jeffrey Rex Bertelsen.
I'm Jeffrey Rex 