‘Train Dreams’ is one of those films that stays with you long after the credits roll, thanks to its simplicity, beauty and rawness. From the incredible stills (which I desperately hope to get my hands on) to the deeply heartbreaking story, it’s without a doubt a film that is both breathtaking and devastating. As always, this is your sign that this review will contains spoilers!

The film opens with Robert’s (Joel Edgerton) early life as he is an orphan who doesn’t know his family or what happened to them. The way we learn so many aspects of Robert’s life right from the start allows us the audience, to feel part of his journey rather than just an outsider observing it. Clint Bentley’s use of nature: the forests, rivers and open skies become not only part of the story but they feel almost like a companion to Robert’s life, witnessing his love, labour and loss.

When Robert meets Gladys (Felicity Jones) it’s honestly one of the simplest but loveliest meetings. There’s no build-up or dramatic meeting, just two people finding each other. As they begin building their house by the river, my chest ached with the tenderness of it all as their love is captured in the smallest gestures, such as the way they look at each other, the way they find joy in moments that most of us might overlook and simply being together. Robert and Gladys love is not grand or loud but quiet, raw and real. They seem their happiest when they have each other and I couldn’t help but love how beautiful it must feel to have that kind of love that is simple, real and enough. Seeing their love, I found myself wishing their happiness could last forever and I think that’s why it hurt so much when it didn’t.

Felicity Jones performance as Gladys, although short is simply unforgettable. Felicity Jones brings so much strength to Gladys as she doesn’t need to say much because her presence says it all. The way Gladys tends to their home, raises their daughter and waits for Robert to return without being bitter that he was gone for so long while she was alone speaks volumes about her character. The way Gladys finds beauty in their ordinary life, when most of us in today’s society would only find ways to complain, is incredibly moving and reminds us of what really is important. Her absence throughout the rest of the film is felt like a physical weight, not just for Robert but for us too as we saw Gladys at her happiest with her family.

Joel Edgerton’s performance as Robert is in one word, extraordinary. Joel Edgerton carries Robert’s story with such emotion and honesty that it almost feels like it’s not acting but reality. I was overwhelmed with how much goodness and kindness he radiates that when he was at his lowest, I wished I could give him a hug. I can’t be the only one who laughed when Robert did and cried when he cried. I have to be honest there’s one scene that I can’t get out of my mind, which is when Robert is sitting by what was left of his family’s home, camping out in hope that his wife and daughter might somehow come back. This scene broke me. The way it’s such a simple scene, as Robert is sitting in silence holding on to the hope that he will be reunited with his family, captures in my opinion the grief in its truest form as it’s not loud or performative but heavy, quiet and seemingly endless. It felt like his love and the way he clings to that land is as if the memory of what he used to have is keeping him company.

William H. Macy’s performance as Arn Peeples, although short embodies so much wisdom and sorrow as he reflects on the cost to a man’s soul as he cuts down the trees while valuing the fleeting encounters.The way he talks about the logging work that is not just hard labour but as something that takes a toll on the soul made me wonder how much we overlook nature as we are so busy all the time that we don’t take the time to sit and see nature for all that it is. Arn’s wisdom impacts not only Robert’s view of the world and understanding of it but also us as it makes us slow down and realise how much more there is to life.

While the film has a sad and gripping theme, I personally find it to be so much more as it’s also about love, resilience, the small moments and the joyful and tragic moments that define us and who we are. I have seen ‘Train Dreams’ now twice and I still don’t know how Joel Edgerton managed to embody Robert with such depth and raw vulnerability. Seeing and experiencing Robert’s grief, especially with his flashbacks of Gladys and their daughter, was simply gut-wrenching. I found myself having to look away as I was so overwhelmed by the intensity of his grief and love. The way his grief acts as a reminder for all of us that being rich in life is not about the things we have and own but about the love and happiness we have with the people we love the most. Although I understood the plot and what happened to Gladys and their daughter, I couldn’t help but be like Robert and refuse to believe that this is real, wishing he could have his happy ending. Silly, I know but I couldn’t help but wish Robert’s story would be full again with his wife and daughter. Now, after seeing it and staying with it I realise that the power of the story doesn’t lie in the happy ending but in the story’s truth, emotions and realism.

‘Train Dreams’ is not just showing us a part of Robert’s life but his whole life from childhood, the logging years, the love he shared with Gladys, the family he had, the grief, his friendship with Arn, his later years and to his reflection on his life. I’m not one for documentary-style films, I will admit but I have loved the way we were shown Robert’s life and his story. The director, Clint Bentley, has crafted a masterpiece that speaks to the heart. His ability to integrate the natural world into the story adds an invaluable layer of depth and meaning. It’s a reminder of our connection to the earth and the solace it can provide, even in the midst of our deepest sorrows. It really hooked me right from the start and I couldn’t help but feel everything, leaving me speechless.

The ending of ‘Train Dreams’ stayed with me in so many ways. As Robert takes his plane ride he is asked to hold on to something and that’s when we see him holding onto his memories through his flashbacks. As the plane soars into the sky, we witness a montage of Robert’s life: the laughter with his daughter, the embrace of Gladys, the nature, the people he met and the friendship with Arn. It’s a  moving reminder that true wealth is found in the connections we create and the experiences that touch our hearts. The film leaves us with a sense of peace as we see Robert coming to peace and having a deeper understanding of life.

‘Train Dreams’ simply exists on its own as it’s a film that humbles you as it makes you feel small in the best possible way. It leaves you reflecting on how rich we really are when we have our loved ones in our lives and how even in grief there’s beauty. ‘Train Dreams’ is not just a story of one man’s life but it’s a mirror of our own as it makes us reflect on life, love, loss, wonder, hope and grief. In an age where everything moves at such a rapid pace, this film offers a much needed pause, inviting us to take in the quiet moments.

I am so grateful I was able to see ‘Train Dreams’ at the London Film Festival as it’s in my top four favourite films. While all my top four favourite films deal in some way with grief, I do feel that they are so different and uniquely beautiful that if asked, I couldn’t just choose one of them. ‘Train Dreams’ reminded me of what’s important in life, how we shouldn’t take for granted what we have and our loved ones but most importantly that it’s okay to slow down and take in nature’s beauty and history.

For anyone seeking a film that challenges, inspires, and moves you to the core ‘Train Dreams’ is a must-see and is now available on Netflix!

Just beautiful!