Common Sense Media Review
By Jennifer Green
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Violence, language in lyrical meditation on life and nature.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Train Dreams
What's the Story?
TRAIN DREAMS follows the life of Robert Grainier (Joel Edgerton) from his move west as a 6- or 7-year-old orphan to his death in old age. In between, he falls in love and marries Gladys (Felicity Jones), with whom he has a baby daughter. He does seasonal work with communities of far-flung men as a logger, helping to saw down trees and construct railways. He witnesses great societal transformation over the course of the decades he's alive, and he experiences love, loss, tragedy, and introspection.
Is It Any Good?
This lyrical meditation on life in a specific time and place relies on a subtle and expressive lead performance by Edgerton and majestic cinematography to craft a melancholy yet mystical tale. Train Dreams is reminiscent of an artful piece of historical fiction like Roma. There's no grand action to hook viewers, no predictable formula to follow. Instead, the film feels very much a literary adaptation, especially with its somewhat superfluous voice-over filling in narrative gaps. This sweeping epic captures not just one man's tough, tragic life, and not just the human exploitation and development of the still-wild Pacific Northwest, but rather the deep and unbreakable connection between the two.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the unique setting of Train Dreams. What do you know about the development of the Pacific Northwest? Where could you find more information?
In what ways does Robert demonstrate perseverance in his life? Do other characters also share this trait? Explain.
The narrator references mass deportations of Chinese people, and we see a Chinese man thrown to his death for no given reason. Why were Chinese people treated so harshly in the late 1800s and early 1900s in the United States? What other populations have been subject to mass deportations or internments in U.S. history?
Movie Details
- In theaters : November 7, 2025
- On DVD or streaming : November 21, 2025
- Cast : Joel Edgerton , Felicity Jones , William H. Macy
- Director : Clint Bentley
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Netflix
- Genre : Drama
- Topics : Book Characters , Family Stories , History
- Character Strengths : Perseverance
- Run time : 103 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : some violence and sexuality
- Awards : Academy Award - Best Picture Nominee , Academy Award - Other Category Nominee , BAFTA - BAFTA Nominee , Golden Globe - Golden Globe Award Nominee
- Last updated : December 4, 2025
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