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Train Dreams’ Rides Strong Reviews Into Netflix Debut as Filmmakers Earn Sun Valley Honor

Reviews highlight a restrained, visually rich take that reframes Denis Johnson’s story by softening the protagonist’s early culpability.

Overview

  • The film streams on Netflix on November 21 following a limited U.S. theatrical run that began November 7.
  • Critics report near-unanimous acclaim, with a roughly 95% Rotten Tomatoes score and fresh praise this week positioning it among 2025’s best-reviewed films.
  • Co-writer/director Clint Bentley and co-writer Greg Kwedar will receive Deadline’s Disruptors Award at the Sun Valley Film Festival in December.
  • Joel Edgerton leads as Robert Grainier, with coverage emphasizing a meditative focus on grief and ordinary dignity rather than conventional genre beats.
  • Reviewers single out Adolpho Veloso’s 3:2 cinematography and Bryce Dessner’s score, which features an end-credits song co-written with Nick Cave.