Train Dreams

Train Dreams
Starring Joel Edgerton, Felicity Jones, Kerry Condon, William H. Macy
Directed by Clint Bentley

Oftentimes we go to movies to escape our reality and witness something fantastical. Other times we go to movies to be moved to tears by heartwarming tales of true adventure and lives well lived. Still there's times where we go to mediate on the mundane, to witness a tale that seems factual but is actually poetic beauty brought to life on the big screen, a story of a man who lived the American dream and who endured the highs and lows of a long life lived well. "Train Dreams" shows that you don't have to live a huge luxurious lifestyle to be happy, but also understand that life isn't always guaranteed happiness.

Orphaned as a young boy, Robert Grainier (Joel Edgerton) grew up in the small town of Bonners Ferry, Idaho, and when he got older he got a job working for the Spokane International Railway, building train tracks for the newest invention in the still-growing America: trains.

He falls in love with Gladys Olding (Felicity Jones) and get married, have a young daughter, and builds a quaint little cabin, but he spends most of his time in the forest, cutting down trees and building the train tracks that'll forever change the course of American history, even if he doesn't know it. He maintains a simple life, but when tragedy strikes it reminds him that life can sometimes be cruel, and as the years advance and technology changes, he finds himself a forgotten relic of the past.

"Train Dreams" isn't a movie for everyone. There's no epic action, no swelling moments of emotional upheaval, and no stunning effects. It's a melancholy tale of one man living a simple life, having a simple job, and sticking with this person the entire 80 years of his existence. Many would consider it boring, but for those who truly love cinema and all it has to offer, it's a deeply poignant tale filled with stunning cinematography and Joel Edgerton's best performance to date.

Nowadays we don't even think of the work and dedication those in the past committed to making the world what it is today, and without the workers on the railroads we wouldn't be anywhere near where we are now. These men spent countless hours away from their families in death-defying work to craft the tracks that made the trains run across the country, delivering cargo and people to their destinations. In an odd way, it provides both progress and destruction: by bringing the country closer together they have to tear down centuries old trees to build the rails. Yet, again, without that we would be centuries behind in technology and commerce. 

Robert wasn't a man who anyone would know, even if he was a real person. He was a mild-mannered man, never prone to raising his voice, and lived a quiet, simple life. We see his life told through narration by Will Patton in a way that seems dream-like but also powerful, as cinematographer Adolpho Veloso relishes our eyes with the stunning, untouched beauty of the American Northwest in the early 20th Century. It's quiet, subdued, and hauntingly beautiful, and Joel Edgerton anchors it all down with a performance equally subdued yet haunting. Again, it's not for everyone, but for those who'd appreciate it, it's something you won't forget.

The Score: A+