Train Dreams
Directed by Clint Bentley7.595%90%7.3
Based on Denis Johnson's beloved novella, Train Dreams is the moving portrait of Robert Grainier, a logger and railroad worker who leads a life of unexpected depth and beauty in the rapidly-changing America of the early 20th Century.
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Train Dreams Ratings & Reviews
- rod.chaDecember 1, 2025Okay. I’m gonna say it out loud. I think this a man’s movie. It is best watched alone, without distraction.
- Jabbar11111d agoTrain Dreams is a quietly haunting portrait of a man and a disappearing way of life. Set against the vast, unforgiving landscapes of early 20th-century America, the film traces the slow, poignant passage of time, capturing the solitude, loss, and fleeting joys that define a life lived on the margins of history. Minimalist yet emotionally powerful, it relies on silence, atmosphere, and subtle performances to tell a story that lingers long after the credits roll. For viewers who appreciate meditative storytelling and the beauty of life’s small, fragile moments, Train Dreams is a deeply moving cinematic experience.
- hannes532d agoPointless story, complete waist of time
- HireforfireNovember 25, 2025Hits hard if you let it. One to be experienced.
- rg9400November 23, 2025I'll preface this by saying that I fully recognize that Train Dreams is not my type of movie. It is slow, quiet, contemplative, meditative, and reflective. It has moments of surrealism weaved throughout. The majority of the movie skips around time, either just focusing in on the main character as he goes about mundane activities or simple conversations with others. This type of intense memoiresque character study of someone living a simple life might really work for some people, but it just isn't my thing. It takes half of the movie until I found it got to the main interior conflict of the character. I think this type of event and its aftermath could have been really insightful and emotional, but the movie is so subdued that I struggled to really feel the emotions to the extent that I should have. The psuedo-philosophical conversations didn't do much for me. The movie itself admits that the character keeps looking for something that gives it all meaning. Joel Edgerton does a decent job, but I do not think he blew me away. The one thing that I did really appreciate was the cinematography, with some really nice images throughout. I think it just did not move me, and for a movie like this, that's the key thing it has to accomplish. I personally liked The Life of Chuck more for something that felt very similar in how it followed a simple character through time and found beauty in small moments despite larger tragedies. I think that's a better blueprint for creating that critical pathos, and this movie just pales in comparison.
- InceptahNovember 25, 2025Movies like this are rare now. Honest, handcrafted, and shot entirely on location. Train Dreams feels tangible in every frame: a work of art from start to finish. It’s intimate, poetic, and quietly devastating. The kind of film that reminds you what cinema can be.
- icedvovoNovember 23, 2025Train Dreams lingers. A quiet ache of love, loss, and the small, fragile lives we build in the vastness of this world. It’s a film that doesn’t raise its voice, yet somehow speaks directly into your soul.
- Scott Smith2d agoA touching and haunting film. One man's simple journey through life brings love, loss, loneliness, and a sense of belonging in a seemingly random and meaningless world. Well-acted, directed, and filmed. Sadly beautiful. My favorite movie of 2025. It deserves awards.
- Derek Schweitzer2d agoTedious and frustrating film to suffer through. You eventually find out it was just the friends you made along the way in place of a resolution. Hamfisted narration will relieve you of any sense of immersion in the otherwise mundane performances, which seem to be precisely what the script called for. How it rates so highly among critics and rubes alike can only be explained by the decline in sophistication in theater audiences. I only write this to spare anyone on the fence about pressing play; keep scrolling.
- Mr7December 14, 2025The Cinematography, the writing, the acting.....this movie doesn't have a miss. Wow. Best movie I've seen in a long time. Be prepared to feel life like a baseball bat to the heart. Fantastic! Now I wanna see more shot in this aspect ratio.
- nicpederson3d agoA beautiful, soft, yet brutally honest look at a man’s path through life that forces you to watch the screen as if it were a mirror.
- adam3199December 13, 2025This film smashes it out of the park. Every element of it is a beautiful experience.
- Jefferson Bittencourt3d agoA beautiful surprise. Beautiful photography, delicate direction, and very convincing performances. Beautiful soundtrack too. A film with a lot of richness and nuances. A little jewels.
- tornadof63d agoBeautiful slice of life film
- Moker89November 25, 2025Favorite movie of 2025. Profound
Train Dreams Trivia
Train Dreams was released on November 6, 2025.
Train Dreams was directed by Clint Bentley.
Train Dreams has a runtime of 1 hr 42 min.
Train Dreams was produced by Marissa McMahon, Will Janowitz, Teddy Schwarzman, Ashley Schlaifer, Michael Heimler.
The key characters in Train Dreams are Robert Grainier (Joel Edgerton), Boomer (Clifton Collins Jr.), Gladys Grainer (Felicity Jones).
Train Dreams is rated PG-13.
Train Dreams is a Drama film.
Train Dreams has an audience rating of 9 out of 10.