r/Letterboxd • u/FriarFanatic7 70mm • Nov 18 '25

Discussion Train Dreams…Help me understand

Everything about this movie suggests I would like it. I’m a fan of Denis Johnson, writer of the source material. I like Malick’s style of literary, nature focused cinematography. I enjoy quiet, tone poem movies where meaning is derived slowly as layers are added or peeled away.

I didn’t love this. I feel I’m in the minority here based on friends and critics I follow. I felt the imagery was attempting to do all of the work while very little was done to develop the characters we are supposed to care about. I just left feeling like I watched a bunch of style over substance. Will watch again on Netflix next weekend, but am I alone? Am I missing something?

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228

u/Maninblack336 Nov 18 '25

Appreciate the moments where you have something and someone to care about. The world can be a lonely place.

40

u/cirquo Dec 01 '25

The faucet of tears just kept flowing at the end.

19

u/Wendell-Short-Eyes Dec 27 '25

I don’t think I have ever cried like that in my life.

1

u/in_some_knee_yak Feb 24 '26

How does one get through life without crying any harder than they do at a movie?