Train Dreams is a dream come true, alright. Writer/director Clint Bentley has crafted a hypnotic, at times spellbinding experience, one that washes over the audience like a dream that ends too quickly. It may not always be a sweet dream for our protagonist. For all of the heartache that the central character endures, Train Dreams also captures the moments of sheer joy that make it all worthwhile. These moments might be fleeting, although when life flashes before our eyes at the end of this voyage, they’re what stick with us.
Joel Edgerton is a journeyman actor, turning in consistently strong work for decades. His subtle nuances as a performer have often gone overlooked. This makes him the perfect candidate to play Robert Grainier, a quiet loner drifting through life until he meets Felicity Jones’ Gladys. They settle down in a small, remote cabin with a little one. Although they don’t have much, all they need is each other. That said, Robert must travel away from home to provide for his family. He finds work constructing the railroad, laying down tracks and cutting down trees. It’s a dangerous job in more ways than one.
While Robert makes a few friends on his travels, many are taken along the way. Sometimes, it’s due to a freak accident. Other times, it’s hate-driven. At one point, an Asian worker is ganged up on. Robert tries to prevent a tragedy, but he’s outnumbered. Of course, it’s not like any of the other workers thought twice about helping Robert. In another instance, a Black man approaches a logging site. The scene ends in blood, although it doesn’t go exactly how the audience expects. Violence surrounds Robert, who never becomes desensitized to it. These experiences stick with him, but he manages to keep everything on the inside… for a while.
Edgerton is devastatingly reserved as a man who’s eventually pushed to his breaking point. Yet, Robert still hangs onto hope, even if it might be denial. While much of the film relies on Edgerton’s strength as an actor, a supporting cast that includes Kerry Condon and William H. Macy make the most of their limited screen time. If they had an Oscar for Best Narrator, Will Patton would be a shoo-in for his all-encompassing voiceover performance. Patton was also the audiobook narrator for Denis Johnson’s original source material. Train Dreams emphasizes showing over telling, with Adolpho Veloso’s cinematography painting an intimate portrait of life itself.
With its slow pace, many are bound to walk away from Train Dreams wondering what was the point. That’s like asking what the point of Robert’s life was. Robert Grainier doesn’t change the world or leave a lasting legacy, per se. That doesn’t mean his time on Earth was without purpose. Any of us could be Robert, who isn’t always sure what keeps him going. During one of the most uplifting moments of any movie released this year, though, it becomes clear. Robert is at peace, which is sometimes the most we can ask for when we get off the train.