A master at inhabiting the hearts and souls of the characters he plays, Joel Edgerton (Boy Erased, MVFF41; Loving, MVFF39;The Plague, MVFF48) delivers another exquisite turn in Clint Bentley’s (Jockey) resonant adaptation of Denis Johnson’s novella. Robert Grainier (Edgerton) grows up and old along with the 20th century, his life unfolding alongside decades of momentous change leading to the Space Age. A railroad worker and logger, Robert’s own existence may not be so monumental, yet there is a sweep to the days of this shy, taciturn man as he experiences joy and sorrow, and bears witness to the epiphanies of everyday life. An excellent supporting cast—many in cameo roles—includes Felicity Jones, William H. Macy, John Diehl, Clifton Collins Jr., and the Bay Area’s own Sean San Jose. Gorgeously shot in rural Washington and powered by Edgerton’s performance, Train Dreams is a profound depiction of one man’s march through history. —Pam Grady

SPOTLIGHT ON JOEL EDGERTON
Joel Edgerton’s formidable talent for revealing the soulful depths of his characters illuminates every frame of Clint Bentley’s resonant adaptation of Denis Johnson’s novella about an ordinary man’s life unfolding amidst the momentous change of the 20th century.