How to watch Train Dreams – is it streaming?

There's still more than a month to go until the Academy Awards ceremony on Sunday 15th March – which means you've got plenty of time to catch up with all the nominated films if you're hoping to fit them all in between now and then.

One of the movies up for best picture which may have slipped under the radar a little is Train Dreams, an intimate epic starring Joel Edgerton which won huge acclaim at last year's Sundance Film Festival and continued as a critics favourite for much of the year – finishing sixth in our own poll to determine the film of the year.

Speaking exclusively to RadioTimes.com ahead of it's release last year, Edgerton had some pretty grand claims to make about the film, even going so far as to say it could get close to answering the meaning of life.

If that statement makes you curious to check it out, read on for everything you need to know about how to watch Train Dreams – plus information about it's cast, plot and trailer.

How to watch Train Dreams – is it streaming?

Yes – the film couldn't be easier to watch, given that it is streaming on Netflix.

The film was acquired by the streamer shortly after it premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival last January, and was released as a Netflix original, with a brief theatrical run in early November being followed by a streaming debut on 21st November 2025.

Of course, as is the case with many Oscar-nominated films, some cinemas around the country are giving it a few extra showings between now and the Academy Awards. So if you do still fancy catching it on the big screen, check your local cinema for options.

But if not, there's always Netflix!

What is Train Dreams about?

Based on the novella of the same name by Denis Johnson, the film tells the story of an American logger named Robert Grainier – whose life goes through some major changes both due to personal circumstances and the rapidly changing world in the first half of the twentieth century.

The official synopsis reads: "Orphaned at a young age, Robert grows into adulthood among the towering forests of the Pacific Northwest, where he helps expand the nation’s railroad empire alongside men as unforgettable as the landscapes they inhabit.

"After a tender courtship, he marries Gladys and they build a home together, though his work often takes him far from her and their young daughter. When his life takes an unexpected turn, Robert finds beauty, brutality and newfound meaning for the forests and trees he has felled."

It is further described as "An ode to a vanishing way of life, an ever-evolving world, and to the extraordinary possibilities that exist within even the most simple of existences."

Train Dreams cast: Who stars in the film?

Joel Edgerton is the star of the film, playing main character Robert Grainier and appearing in virtually every frame of the movie.

He is joined by a number of other big names in the supporting cast including former Oscar nominees Felicity Jones (who plays his wife Gladys), Kerry Condon and William H Macy, while Will Patton serves as the film's narrator.

You can find the full cast list below:

• Joel Edgerton as Robert Grainier
• Felicity Jones as Gladys Olding Grainier
• Kerry Condon as Claire Thompson
• William H Macy as Arn Peeples
• Will Patton as the narrator
• Nathaniel Arcand as Ignatius Jack
• John Diehl as Billy
• Paul Schneider as Apostle Frank
• Clifton Collins Jr. as Boomer
• Alfred Hsing as Fu Sheng
• Chuck Tucker as Silent Man
• Rob Price as Curious Logger
• Beau Charles as Young Logger
• Johnny Arnoux as Kootenai Indian
• John Patrick Lowrie as Mr Sears
• Branden Lindsay as Elijah Brown

Train Dreams trailer

If you're still deciding whether to catch up with this one before the Oscars ceremony, the trailer below gives a pretty good impression of the film's quiet and meditative tone – as well as it's beautiful cinematography.

Train Dreams is streaming now on Netflix.

Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.