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Sundance 2025 Review: Train Dreams – “A thoughtful exploration of a life lived.”

Felicity Jones and Joel Edgerton

Trying his best to survive the ebb and flow of life in the American West is a logger who witnesses the best and worse of human behaviour over the course of several decades.

An orphan becomes a solitary logger at the turn of the 20th century and then discovers love which leads to him getting married and having a family; he is haunted by the murder of a Chinese railway worker which he failed to prevent and causes him to have nightmares of an impending retribution. Tragedies do occur over the impending decades resulting in suffering but there is also joy to be found in the mundane.

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Normally voice overs are a double-edged sword but Will Paxton is an admirable narrator with the ability to put into focus the significance of a moment instead of stating the obvious. That is not to say the performance of Joel Edgerton is lacking as he carries the weight of the story on his shoulders without having to say many words because his face and eyes convey so much. Montages highlight the beauty of family life while also taking on nightmarish tones that emphasize that the past coexists with the present.

The mundane is beautifully rendered visually creating a mediative experience for the viewer while the story is punctuated by unexpected dramatic shifts that emphasize how the fortunes of one can change within a blink of an eye. Standout moments are the newlywed couple plotting out their cabin and the conversation that reveals how the logger’s tents are connected to the American Civil War. Filmmaker Clint Bentley, cinematographer Adolpho Veloso and editor Parker Larame have crafted a thoughtful exploration of a life lived.

The 2025 Sundance Film Festival takes place January 23 to February 2, 2025, in person and online, and for more information visit sundance.org.

Trevor Hogg is a freelance video editor and writer who currently resides in Canada; he can be found at LinkedIn.

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