Early on in Train Dreams, our main character witnesses a Chinese man getting hauled onto a railroad trestle by his fellow workers and thrown into a ravine, for no reason other than, one can assume, being Chinese. This one act of violence, seemingly so random, ripples through the rest of this movie, a sweeping yet intimately personal drama that is less about the man than his narrow vision of the world around him. 

Joel Edgerton stars as Robert, a sweet soul who works in the wilds, before the wilds were tamed. Railroads, logging, and other work keeps him largely removed from society, though he meets and loses friends and loved ones along the way. He turns internally upon himself, progressing through time but largely disinterested in the world at large. 

Director and co-writer Clint Bentley gives us this beautiful and engrossing drama that lulls you into a sense of serenity as we follow Robert through his life. Visually enthralling while simultaneously maintaining earthy tones, Train Dreams at times looks and feels like a Terrence Malick film.

It also lacks the boldness of Terrence Malick films. As well done as Train Dreams is, you can’t escape the sensation that Bentley is playing it safe. And that Train Dreams is desperately—subtly, but desperately—trying to be more profound than it actually is. Aside from the aforementioned burst of violence early on, Train Dreams opts for tranquility. That’s not a criticism in itself, and yet when hard pressed to find deeper meaning in the film, Train Dreams begins to feel more like a passing, pleasant thought than something concrete or interesting or compelling. 

Robert, as likable as he is, gets lost in his own movie, his character but a vessel passing through moments in time. When a horrible thing happens midway, we see Robert’s emotion but don’t feel it. We watch Robert from afar, never allowed into his psyche. What makes him tick. Why we should care for this scarred soul.

Train Dreams is absorbing in many ways, a testament to Bentley’s craft and the subtle performances at play. Yet it works better as a dream than it does a tangible piece of storytelling. 

Review by Erik Samdahl. Erik is a marketing and technology executive by day, avid movie lover by night. He is a member of the Seattle Film Critics Society.