'Train Dreams' Is Afraid of Its Own Shadow

By now, you have probably heard about Train Dreams. Since premiering this past January at Sundance, Clint Bentley’s adaptation of the Denis Johnson novella has been lauded by critics, screened at various film festivals, and purchased by Netflix. You may have heard that it is a magisterial, gorgeous, and quietly profound exploration of one man’s life in a period of change, indebted both to classic Western films and the canon of Terrence Malick. It’s possible you’ve heard that you really ought to have caught it in a movie theater to appreciate the majesty of Train Dreams.