TRAIN DREAMS Review: Joel Edgerton Shines in his Best Work Yet

 

RT - 🍅 95%

My Score - ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Who knew that a Netflix movie about logging would move me?

I'll be honest: I had very low expectations for this movie. Sure, I knew that the cinematography was going to be brilliant (and it was). But, I expected this to be nothing more than a vehicle for beautiful scenery of the American Northwest. 

What I watched instead was a beautiful tale of love, loss, and a man's journey through pain and torture as he tries to find his way out of the dark wilderness of grief.

Nominated for 4 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Cinematography, Best Original Song, and Best Adapted Screenplay, the film is a timeless piece of Americana that will leave you in awe of the scope of the scenery, and in the emotional depth of the tragically beautiful performances by the entire cast.

The film's main protagonist, Robert Grainier, is marvelously portrayed by Joel Edgerton. Edgerton gives life to a role that doesn't have much to go on. From the outside, his life would seem menial and run-of-the-mill. And for the most part, it is. There is nothing extraordinary about Robert Grainier. Although his character is fictional, he represents the journey of a man that many people would forget about. Thanks to Edgerton, this man's story, along with the story of all the men he is based on, will never be forgotten. Of course, this character was first brought to life by the author Denis Johnson, so I guess he is the one to thank for bringing this character to life in the first place.

This story also has some excellent performances from the supporting cast. Some performances that shined for me were Nathaniel Arcand who plays Ignatius Jack. He acts as Robert's constant friend and support. Felicity Jones plays his wife, Gladys. She portrays the other side of the logging industry: the wives that are left to support the home and family for months at a time while Robert and the rest of the men are off working. And, of course, William H. Macy gives a memorable performance as Arn Peeples, the curmudgeonly old logger who befriends Robert, a rare thing to have in that ever-shifting world.

It's definitely a slow burn, and you are left wondering for a long time, "Is anything going to happen?" I certainly enjoyed watching it, but for those looking for a more fast-paced story, then you will be disappointed. 

Overall, I was overwhelmingly surprised at how beautiful this movie is. I'm not sure how it will stand at the Oscars this year, but I, for one, will be rooting for it.