Kimball Film

Clint Bentley’s “Train Dreams” is one of those films that sneaks up on you by the end. The story follows Robert Grainer, a logger in the 20th century as he experiences the highs and lows that life has to bring. It’s a bit unengaging, purposely so, but its temperate pacing and stiff emotion have a magic to it that pulls at your heart. I spent the movie feeling a little distanced until those last few minutes where I realized just how much I cared for our protagonist.

The cinematography is gorgeous. It feels like the inverse of something Malickian, where Malick can’t help but peer closer to his images while Clint Bentley keeps his distance. Adolpho Veloso creates so many shots that will not leave your mind. Something as simple as pigs in a pen is framed beautifully and with care. There’s a shot early on following a chopped tree collapsing to the ground from the perspective of the tree going down. It is one of the most invigorating and striking shots I’ve seen in years.

With its small 10 million dollar budget, Bentley is able to create a sense of scope that feels larger than life. In a beautiful oner starting in a train, Robert sees a massive fire in the distance engulfing the forest. It’s one of the more impressive sequences in the film, with brilliantly blocked camera movement and extras and cars that make the world feel so busy and real.

Joel Edgerton plays his role well, but I fell in love with his character through Will Patton’s incredible narration. The poetic dialogue and Patton’s wondrous voice set a beautiful tone for the character. Edgerton does the best he can, conveying the inner turmoil and pain of Robert, but the soft approach can feel a little underwhelming at times.

While the score is nice, the way it came in and out of scenes tended to be a bit distracting to me, drawing too much attention to itself. Maybe my favorite part of the movie is the Nick Cave song over the credits, which beautifully captures the feeling of the film’s quiet, inexplicable grief.

What impressed me most is how the film sustains an atmosphere of dread but never loses its wonder. Despite telling a story filled with tragedy, it never stops being hopeful. I was wondering how a movie like this would end, and the closing moments and final lines of dialogue are perfect. The montage and score come together in beautiful harmony, collecting this film into a perfect, life-affirming bow.