Joel Edgerton’sTrain Dreamspremiered earlier this year at theSundance Film Festivalto widespread critical acclaim — the film earned a 97% from critics onRotten Tomatoes. As part ofCollider’s Exclusive Previewevent, we are thrilled to partner with Netflix to preview a new image of Edgerton inTrain Dreams, and we also had the chance to ask directorClint Bentleya few questions about the film. Bentley also wrote the script with his long-time collaboratorGreg Kwedar.
Train Dreamsis Bentley’s first movie sinceSing Sing, which he wrote the script for while Kwedar directed. When asked what Bentley took away from working onSing Singthat he brought toTrain Dreams, he spoke about bringing the “real world” into a film and allowing a movie to “evolve to accommodate the surprises of life.”
“In writing Sing Sing, Greg and I always left space forthe script to evolve to allow the real world to seep into the movie. It was an approach we developed on Jockey and I really wanted to bring that into Train Dreams. It’s often hard to do, but if you can allow a movie to evolve to accommodate the surprises that life gives you and welcome them into the film, the film is almost always better for it.”
Train Dreamsis based onDenis Johnson’s popular novella of the same name. Bentley explained what he was most excited to bring from the book to the screen, saying, “There were so many things from the book I was excited to portray — the family story, the world of logging,the supernatural elements— but I was most excited to see Joel bring Robert Grainier to life. I’ve always loved the character.”
He continued, diving intowhat makes Robert Grainer such an intriguing characterand why Joel Edgerton was the perfect person to portray him: “He’s a man of few words but someone with incredible depth and an openness and curiosity for the world.Joel portrayed [him] with so much nuance and beauty. He shows us a man with strength and vulnerability, joy and sadness, often all wrapped up in the same moment. I’m really in awe of what he did with the character.”
Clint Bentley and Greg Kwedar Have Been Working Together for Years
Clint Bentley and Greg Kwedar’s work together goes back years, and we asked how their relationship came to be and how their creative processes mesh together. Bentley explained how they’re “like family” after collaborating for nearly 15 years. He told Collider:
“Greg and I have been working together almost 15 years now and at this point we’re like family. We started working together in Austin, helping each other make short films while writing draft after draft of Transpecos and trying to figure out how to get that movie made. We’ve supported each other over the years as we’ve each directed our films and it’s meant so much to both of us tohave someone who understands how lonely and tough directing can be. We also trust each other deeply because we each know what the other one is going for, so we rely on each other throughout the process to give notes as each project is coming together. It’s also a real comfort to have an old friend to go through all the ups and downs of this crazy business with. "
Bryce Dessner, who recently worked onThe Accountant 2(starringBen Affleck) andWe Live in Time(withAndrew Garfield), composed the score forTrain Dreams. Bentley spoke on what made Dessner the perfect composer to scoreTrain Dreams, and even teased the music fans can expect to hearwhen the film hits Netflix later this year, “Bryce is an incredible artist. We worked together on my previous film,Jockey, andI couldn’t think of anyone better to scoreTrain Dreams. I love the combination of his musical endeavors — his classical compositions and ballets alongside his more modern work. It makes for music that’s hard to describe. It’s really evocative and detailed, yet has room to open up and breathe. I feel like his music really lifts the movie up. Gives it its flow. It feels like the glue that holds all the different elements of the film together.”
In addition to Joel Edgerton,Train Dreamsalso starsFelicity Jones,Nathaniel Arcand,Clifton Collins Jr.,John Diehl,Paul Schneider, withKerry CondonandWilliam H. Macy. The film was narrated byWill Patton, and it follows Robert Granier, a logger and railroad worker who leads a life of unexpected depth and beauty in a rapidly evolving America during the early 20th Century.
Train Dreamspremieres onNetflixon November 21, and in select theaters on November 7. Check out the exclusive image above and stay tuned to Collider for more movie news from ourExclusive Previewevent all week.
