Netflix’s Train Dreams hailed as ‘masterpiece’ and ‘best movie in years’ by fans
American drama film Train Dreams starring Joel Edgerton is now streaming on Netflix, with fans on Rotten Tomatoes calling it a ‘masterpiece’ that will ‘leave a lasting impact’
A critically acclaimed American drama, praised by viewers as a “masterpiece” that will “leave a lasting impact,” has arrived on UK streaming platforms.
Train Dreams (2025) chronicles the life of Robert Grainier (portrayed by Joel Edgerton), an orphaned laborer from Idaho who endures a grueling existence as a railroad worker and logger across the Pacific Northwest’s forests.
The narrative follows the unexpected turns in his journey, which Netflix describes as one of “unexpected depth and beauty in the rapidly-changing America of the early 20th Century”. The supporting cast features William H Macy, Oscar nominee Felicity Jones and Kerry Condon. Clint Bentley helmed the production, adapting Denis Johnson’s 2011 novella of the same title.
Following its limited theatrical debut in the US on November 7, Train Dreams launched on Netflix this past Friday (November 21).
Joel Edgerton as Robert Grainier in Train Dreams.(
Viewers flocked to Rotten Tomatoes to heap acclaim on the production, with one declaring it “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.”, reports the Express.
Another commented: “Wow….Not sure how to review this masterpiece other than to tell you … experience this film!”
A third viewer noted: “This is one of the saddest movies I have ever watched, although so beautifully made. This movie will grip you & leave a lasting impact, rarely does a movie do that these days. Highly recommend but don’t forget the tissue box!”
Some viewers criticized the film’s pace, with one comparing it to the epic survival movie The Revenant, but “without the story.”
“Plodding and bleak, and fails in what it’s trying to say,” the Audience Reviewer added.
However, others came to its defense, with one viewer arguing the “comments about it being slow/boring/thin plot seem to misunderstand this comes from a novella and is intended to be less a fully fleshed out movie than a briefer and simpler (but deeply complex) contemplation on life, nature and relationships.”
“Just saw this in the theatre with a Q&A with some of the production team after,” they added. “The way this was made and the attention to detail, just amazing. And filmed in northern Idaho/eastern Washington. See it!”
Film review blog Creative Cinematic Collection called it “remarkable that the film runs under two hours, given how full and lived-in it feels.”
The reviewer said: “I only wish I’d been able to experience it in a theatre-Train Dreams seems like the kind of film that would have been truly stunning on the big screen.”
Train Dreams is available to stream on Netflix now.
