Train Dreams is a film that unfolds slowly, abundant in detail and showcasing compelling performances. It follows the journey of a man in the swiftly changing American West of the early 20th century.

Based on Denis Johnson’s 2011 novella, the film presents a steady, reflective, and at times poignant odyssey, filled with talks by the fireside. Train Dreams brings together Sing Sing collaborators Greg Kwedar and Clint Bentley, with Bentley at the helm, to delve into the themes of love and grief in a frontier on the verge of industrialization. At times melancholic and at others a historical exploration, it’s a film that may not resonate with all viewers.

The film’s true essence resides in Joel Edgerton’s nuanced, delicate portrayal, enriched by Bryce Dessner’s detailed score and Adolpho Veloso’s vibrant cinematography, all enveloped in the essence of Nick Cave.

What is Train Dreams about?

Spanning from 1917 to 1968, Train Dreams chronicles a man’s search for significance as the 20th century arrives. The Wild West is closing, and the American frontier is transforming. Edgerton plays Robert Grainier, a devoted family man and steadfast railroad employee for the Spokane International Railway in Idaho. He forges fleeting connections with other lumberjacks and yearns for home. Burdened by the guilt of having witnessed the prejudiced murder of a Chinese immigrant worker, Robert’s narrative diverges from the novella, where he actively assists in the act; in the film, he merely stands by.

Despite this incident, the film centers on Robert’s existence. Following a short romance with Gladys Olding (Felicity Jones) in Meadow Creek, Robert constructs a modest home with her, nestled among wildflowers and a stream. They design their cabin using river boulders and welcome their daughter Kate. This idyllic life is captured in montages and underscored by Dessner’s gentle score, a life Robert craves during perilous railroad undertakings. The dangers of this job, such as injury or fatalities from falling trees, are emphasized in both the novella and the film. Veloso’s imagery of these trees tumbling highlights the hazards of exploiting the natural environment.

At a devastating moment, Robert’s world is turned on its head, leaving him in search of meaning and feeling irrelevant. Edgerton’s raw performance is enhanced by scenes with stray puppies. Bentley and Kwedar deepen characters from Johnson’s narrative, including Robert’s companion Ignatius Jack (Nathaniel Arcand), a Kootenai shopkeeper, and forest service worker Claire (Kerry Condon), who forms a connection with Robert.

Train Dreams is a journey through solitude and American history.

Although it isn’t a history lesson, Train Dreams subtly delves into the tales of the American West and the contributions of overlooked railroad workers. Through an all-knowing narrator (Will Patton) and exchanges between characters, the screenplay knits together fragments of the past. References to the American Civil War, American Indian Wars, and World War I occur naturally. William H. Macy shines as Arn Peeples, a harmonica-playing explosives specialist who befriends Robert and contemplates American history.

Patton’s narration infuses a grandfatherly warmth, detailing locomotive mechanics and “the cost of progress” alongside Robert’s existential struggles, providing emotional coherence. It also gives the film’s present an understanding of the future.

Train Dreams portrays the tension between tradition and modernity through the efforts of production designer Alexandra Schaller. From the handcrafted aspects of the Graniers’ cabin to the advancing logging technology, Schaller’s team crafts a vivid representation of life in the American West. Yet, one vital element binds Train Dreams together.

The driving force of Train Dreams is Bryce Dessner’s score.

Adding to his acclaimed collection of film scores, Bryce Dessner of The National showcases his compositional talents in Train Dreams. His score, a whimsical tribute to potential and a reflective accompaniment to sorrow, propels the film’s emotional core. Edgerton’s stoic portrayal allows Dessner to showcase its nuances, harmoniously paired with Veloso’s imagery of Robert against the Idaho landscape.

A worthy experience through the end credits, Dessner collaborates with Nick Cave on the haunting original song “Train Dreams,” encapsulating the film’s narrative and emotional ambiance.

Train Dreams takes its time, contemplating grief, loss, and the sentiment of obsolescence amidst nature and modernity.