A deeply moving 21st-century drama film, praised as ‘extraordinarily beautiful’ by critics, has made its debut on Netflix. The film, released on November 7 after its premiere at the Sundance Festival in January, has been hailed as ‘one of the best films of the year’. Now, you can experience it for yourself, as the adaptation of Denis Johnson’s beloved novella is available to stream for free.
Starring Joel Edgerton in the lead role, the film offers a heartwarming portrayal of Robert Grainier, an orphaned logger who spends his adulthood among the towering forests of the Pacific Northwest. The Golden Globe nominee appears opposite Oscar nominee Felicity Jones, who plays his on-screen wife, Gladys. However, Grainier’s work often takes him far away from the family home they’ve built with their daughter.
Grainier’s quiet life takes an unexpected turn amid an era of unprecedented change in early 20th-century America, forcing him to navigate devastating loss and loneliness while discovering a new meaning in the forests he has felled.
Other cast members include Kerry Condon, William H. Macy, Patrick Schneider, and John Diehl. Directed by Clint Bentley, Train Dreams has received an 83% audience score on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, while critics have given it an impressive 95% rating. Among the comments, Bob S calls it ‘incredible viewing’, praising the ‘attention to detail’ and ‘deeply complex’ storytelling.
Edgerton’s performance is also widely praised as ‘exceptional’, with Karl P saying he was ‘right there with the character’ in the ‘poignant’ scenes in which he was grieving. ‘One of the best movies I’ve watched in recent years. It transports you to a different time, with a top-notch performance by Edgerton,’ echoes Nomad R.
As for film critics, David Fear of Rolling Stone bestows the ultimate compliment on the lead actor: ‘So many films make you feel, in hindsight, that no one else could have played those characters except the people who were cast. Edgerton gives you that sensation within the first 30 seconds of him being onscreen here.’
‘At the risk of gushing, I adored this perfectly formed movie. It elevates Bentley into the league of essential American filmmakers,’ writes David Rooney of The Hollywood Reporter. ‘In an age of spectacle and noise, Train Dreams dares to whisper. It invites you to slow down, breathe and notice the spaces between moments. A simply stunning film from start to finish,’ says Linda Marric of HeyUGuys.
‘This meditation on life is a 102-minute respite from a world that never gives us a chance to slow down and realise how beautiful it truly is,’ adds Travis M. Andrews of the Washington Post.
You needn’t just take their word for it, though, as Train Dreams has already become quite the decorated piece of cinema. Among its accolades are nominations for best feature and best adapted screenplay at the 2025 Gotham Film Awards, while Edgerton has taken home acting gongs at film festivals across the States.
Speaking about his part in the film ahead of its Netflix debut on November 21, Edgerton – an Australian actor and filmmaker with past roles in the Star Wars franchise and Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby – said he wanted to be ‘challenged’.
The 51-year-old told Tudum that he knew it was the right job for him upon realising it would force him to dive into his own emotions. ‘I always like to say that the reason to go to work is to be challenged, to challenge yourself, and to do things that are a little bit frightening,’ he said. Edgerton added of the film’s message: ‘I think the film is saying that, despite all the things that knock us down, human beings are incredibly good at standing back up. We know how to live and breathe, and we know how to absorb the world around us, and we know how to face the world we’re living in.’
Train Dreams is now streaming on Netflix.
