After earning raves at Sundance and locking in a coveted spot at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, Train Dreams is finally heading to a
After earning raves at Sundance and locking in a coveted spot at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, Train Dreams is finally heading to audiences — and the early buzz is off the charts. Adapted from Denis Johnson’s Pulitzer Prize finalist novella, the film will open in select theaters on November 7, before making its Netflix debut on November 21. Ahead of that, the Tudum gang has just dropped the powerful and atmospheric first teaser, and it looks like one you won’t want to miss. Directed by Cliff Bentley, Train Dreams stars Joel Edgerton in what critics are calling the performance of his career, alongside a heavyweight cast including Felicity Jones, Kerry Condon, and William H. Macy.
Set in early 20th century America, Train Dreams follows a logger and railroad worker navigating the peaceful tragedies and sweeping changes of a rapidly evolving country. The film has been hailed for its lyrical tone, emotional precision, and haunting Americana visuals — a period drama that finds unexpected power in the understated.
At Sundance, critics were effusive. The Hollywood Reporter wrote, “At the risk of gushing, I adored this perfectly formed movie. It elevates Bentley into the league of essential American filmmakers.” The Daily Beast called it “the best film of this year’s Sundance Film Festival,” while Vulture stated that, “Train Dreams is a staggering work of art.”
Who Is In ‘Train Dreams’?
Edgerton, who also serves as executive producer, delivers what The Playlist described as “a career-best performance.” The supporting cast includes Nathaniel Arcand, Clifton Collins Jr., John Diehl, Paul Schneider, and Will Patton, who narrates the film. The score comes from acclaimed composer Bryce Dessner, an Academy Award nominee and multi-Grammy winner best known for The Two Popes and The Revenant. The screenplay was adapted by Bentley and Greg Kwedar, with Bentley also directing. It marks a major artistic leap for the filmmaker and has sparked comparisons to early Terrence Malick and Kelly Reichardt, as well as other peaceful chroniclers of American interiority.
Train Dreams currently holds a 97% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 36 reviews — an impressive mark that seems poised to hold as it heads into awards season. Netflix’s choice to give the film a narrow theatrical window before streaming suggests they know it’s going to be a massive awards contender, so obviously getting it into theaters is the gateway to doing that.
Train Dreams hits theaters on November 7. Check out the trailer above.
Train Dreams
Release Date
November 21, 2025
Runtime
102 Minutes
Director
Clint Bentley
Writers
Greg Kwedar
Producers
Marissa McMahon, Will Janowitz, Teddy Schwarzman
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