We are all born, we all live and we all die. That is the truth of life as a human being. We all yearn and look for purpose in life. What are we here for? What is it that we are meant to do with our very limited time on this planet? The vast majority of us will not be put into history books. Most of us won’t be remembered by many. That is the somber and sad truth that “Train Dreams” brings to the screen. So how do you make that impact? An impact that makes you feel complete as a human when your time to go arrives. Your purpose, your meaning, your life as a whole left buried under ground when you’re not here to continue that.
Based on the novella of the same name by Denis Johnson, “Train Dreams” follows the life of a man. A man who has no known history of family. A man who doesn’t even really know how old he truly is. He wakes every day, does his job, goes home and really doesn’t know what his purpose is. Until he does. That happens when he meets a woman, and at that exact moment, he decides he knows exactly what his purpose in life is.
“Train Dreams” (2025) Review | A Beautiful Human Life Lesson
Joel Edgerton Gives His Best Performance, William H. Macy Shines in Limited Time
Joel Edgerton plays Robert Grainier, a lone wolf, so to speak, working as a logger in post-Civil War Idaho. I believe this is Edgerton’s best performance in his long list of credits. He displays grand emotion without speaking much throughout the film. The best part about his performance is that he makes you feel. You feel everything he goes through, both thick and thin. Edgerton is already sparking early Oscar nomination talks and indeed turns in one of the best performances of 2025. It really puts a period on my thoughts of “what is our purpose,” and he lets you know by his actions.
Our two main supporting roles are played by Felicity Jones and William H. Macy. Jones portrays Gladys Grainier, the headstrong, determined wife of Robert Grainier, who has the dream of a family in a cabin by the river. Macy is the old logger Arn Peeples, who has a limited yet profound role in “Train Dreams.” Macy is the supporting role that really stuck out to me as a talkative man of his trade who has been doing it his entire life, and is not afraid to speak of his endeavors. With screen time under 15 minutes, it speaks volumes about what he was able to accomplish in such a short amount of time. His words are what push the emotional display from Edgerton, who is the direct beneficiary of what William H. Macy brings to this film. Macy talks, Edgerton reacts. But his reactions are so true and loud without speaking back to him. It’s really what propels the films’ ultimate goal, and why Edgerton was so great.
The Art of Using Natural Lighting
The film is shot with natural lighting, and had it not been done this way, it would’ve had a completely different feel. The use of candles, the sun, the moon, fire and fog make for an all-natural feel in the woods of Idaho. It’s beautiful, and it all really pushes boundaries of what you look for in the aesthetics of film making. The use of 3:2 ratio filmmaking adds depth and darkness to this film that, at its heart, just wants to be a light of a message. It’s quite the way to get a point across and excellent work from cinematographer Adolpho Veloso for really emphasizing this in hopes that it would add the raw emotion to the cast in their natural state.
Life Lessons in Poignant Fashion
While the film is slower, and some will turn their noses up to that notion, I feel as though it wasn’t as slow as it seems at times. There are enough breaks in the dialogue with big events and devastating moments that push you through its relatively short runtime. They were able to capture so much emotion and feeling with the way it moves along. Consider it like a small train engine slowly making its way down the track, so you’re able to see everything as it is intended.
“Train Dreams” is a beautiful, devastating story of a man who seeks his purpose in life after he figures out how important it is to have one. It’s an emotional ride through the woods of Idaho lifted on the shoulders of a stellar performance from Joel Edgerton. It’s early yet, but those Oscar discussions for him might hold on until late winter if this film picks up speed with views. The story is a profound, very important lesson of life and what we leave behind when it’s all said and done, or what we don’t leave behind.
“After the blade bit in, you had yourself a war.” Denis Johnson
“Train Dreams” is available to stream on Netflix.
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