"Over the weekend, Clint Bentley's lovely, delicate, and moving period drama, Train Dreams, debuted on Netflix - and a certain corner of the social-media world went totally insane. To be clear, I include myself in this group. The particular nature of our various debates is largely irrelevant, and, in fact, it was multifaceted. Some of us argued about the film's use of voice-over. (Too much? Too beholden to the novel? Too lazy? Just right?)"
"But all I want to say is: How wonderful! How wonderful to be arguing about such a small movie. Netflix didn't produce Train Dreams. It picked the film up after its Sundance premiere, and to be fair, a lot of us were worried about the movie getting lost amid the streamer's swirling stew of ceaseless and forgettable content. There is no doubt in my mind that Train Dreams is best experienced on a big screen,"
Train Dreams debuted on Netflix and triggered intense social-media debate over the film's voice-over, its title, the nature of the adaptation, and the Nick Cave song over the end credits. Some viewers questioned the film's fidelity to the novel while others defended stylistic choices. Netflix acquired the film after its Sundance premiere, prompting worry that the movie could be lost amid the platform's vast output. The film had a brief theatrical run, including showings at New York's IFC Center and select cities through Thanksgiving. Netflix's capacity to bring small films to large audiences can concentrate public attention, even if briefly.
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