All Of It – “Train Hour Part 1: Train Dreams star Joel Edgerton and Director Clint Bentley”
Host: Alison Stewart (WNYC)
Guests: Joel Edgerton (actor), Clint Bentley (director)
Air Date: January 14, 2026

Overview

In this episode of All Of It, host Alison Stewart sits down with actor Joel Edgerton and director Clint Bentley to discuss their new film Train Dreams, an adaptation of Denis Johnson’s acclaimed 2011 novella. The conversation delves into the creative challenges of adapting a meditative, quietly profound story about an ordinary man living through immense societal change in the early 20th-century Pacific Northwest. With both guests in studio, the discussion flows from personal connections to the material, to adapting literature for film, and the timeless resonance of themes like love, work, and human dignity.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Adapting Denis Johnson’s Novella

• Clint Bentley on Discovering the Book
  • Read the novella when it first came out, initially as a reader not a filmmaker (02:40).
  • Was drawn to its unique stream-of-consciousness style and the “quiet protagonist”—elements traditionally challenging to adapt for film.
  • Only revisited the book as a potential adaptation after his first film, Jockey.
  • Quote:

    “It’s got a lot of things you shouldn’t or you’re told not to do as a filmmaker, with a quiet protagonist and a period piece and stuff like that.” (03:13, Clint Bentley)

• Origin Pointe
  • Bentley notes he wasn’t originally a filmmaker; was a musician, tried (and failed) writing a novel, and was living “on the road” when he first encountered the novella. (03:58 - 04:18)

Authenticity & Universality in Character

• Joel Edgerton on What Drew Him to Robert Granger
  • Found dignity in portraying an “ordinary life.”
  • Sees the film as a mirror for audience self-reflection—a rare character with whom “99.9%” of viewers can identify.
  • Quote:

    “What is really profound about Denis’s novella and the film and the character is that the experiences that Robert goes through are, I think, the great big things in life... And I think that audiences... could see a reflection of my own life. Even though we’re looking back into another period of somebody else’s life, it’s a mirror to ourselves.” (04:37 - 06:15, Joel Edgerton)

Celebrating Small, Everyday Moments

• Alison Stewart on the Film’s Emotional Aftertaste
  • Remarks that the film inspired a craving for simply “going on a picnic...just sitting in a field." (06:24)
• Clint Bentley on the Lush Detailing of Mundanity
  • Emphasizes that the small, seemingly-mundane moments—picnics, quiet afternoons—are actually the profound ones that define lives.
  • Quote:

    “Those moments...the little quiet moments in the afternoon with a loved one...those are the things that end up giving our life depth along the way.” (06:44 - 07:45, Clint Bentley)

Casting & Serendipity

• How Joel Edgerton Came to the Project
  • He originally wanted to adapt the novella himself but couldn’t secure the rights.
  • Later approached by Bentley—by “serendipity”—and jumped at the chance, especially after becoming a father himself.
  • Quote:

    “I remember thinking, had somebody tipped him off that I’m such a big fan of this material? And it was a completely separate situation.” (07:51 - 08:42, Joel Edgerton)

• On Building Genuine Working Relationships
  • Edgerton draws parallels between his contract-working lifestyle and Robert’s, noting that real and lasting connections are rare but treasured.
  • Quote:

    “Along the way...you occasionally collect people that you are magnetized towards and you know will be in your life forever...Clint, you’re not getting rid of me that easy.” (09:44 - 10:40, Joel Edgerton)

The Adaptation Process

• Bentley’s Approach
  • Stayed “completely loyal to the spirit of the book and to the spirit of this main character,” while allowing the narrative to breathe and move in its own way for cinema.
  • Some sequences proved impossible to adapt and were left out, staying true to what works cinematically.
  • Quote:

    “The best [adaptations] are very loyal to the spirit of the book, but then kind of let the rest go.” (11:11 - 11:40, Clint Bentley)
    "...Translate the book into a narrative structure that works for cinema...without losing that kind of shagginess of the story that’s so integral to the feeling of it." (12:40 - 13:11, Clint Bentley)

Acting with Quietude

• Edgerton on Nonverbal Performance
  • Embraces the challenge of minimal dialogue; finds it a deeply personal performance, especially after becoming a parent himself.
  • Compared it to his earlier role in Loving, another understated, emotionally potent portrayal.
  • Trusted in the director-cinematographer team to capture internal emotion.
  • Quote:

    “The nonverbal aspect...the thoughts are all in my mind. The feelings are all just really under a very thin skin. And I could trust Clint to capture them with his incredible cinematographer, Adolfo Veloso, who just, you know, pictures this world in such a divine way.” (13:38 - 15:48, Joel Edgerton)

• Bentley on Directing Internalized Acting
  • Jokes about being “shouty,” then describes the collaborative, nuanced process of calibrating a performance where so much is conveyed through stillness and subtle shift.
  • Narration was added and then often removed in editing, as Edgerton’s performance said more than words ever could.
  • Quote:

    “What he was doing was so beautiful and so deep, it was taking the viewer much farther than whatever the narrator was saying.” (16:00 - 17:56, Clint Bentley)

Embodying a Life Over Decades

• Edgerton on the Physical and Emotional Evolution of Robert
  • Developed a physical vocabulary reflecting a manual laborer aging over 80 years.
  • Paid close attention to how work shapes one’s body, and how joy and grief etch themselves into posture and presence.
  • Quote:

    “I saw Robert as a child that just kept getting older on the outside...There’s almost not a bad bone in his body, but his bones get fragile as he gets older…” (18:21 - 19:10, Joel Edgerton)

  • The metaphor of the forest: “When joy returns to a human being, what’s that sound of laughter in a person when you haven’t heard them express joy for such a long time?” (19:45)

Practical Filmmaking Decisions

• Tight Shooting Schedule & Editing Choices
  • Shot in only 29 days, often improvising scenes with lead actors (including Felicity Jones) around the cabin setting.
  • The hardest creative decisions were in editing—deciding what small, beautiful moments to keep or cut.
  • Quote:

    “There could be a whole movie just of their life around the cabin...the most difficult decisions were in the edit.” (20:27 - 21:49, Clint Bentley)

Relationships: Love, Anxiety, Change

• On Robert’s Love Story (with Felicity Jones as Gladys)
  • Love brings both joy and fresh anxieties, especially through parenthood and partnership.
  • Edgerton highlights a moment when Robert, an adopted child, wonders aloud if his baby knows he is her father—a profoundly vulnerable line.
  • Quote:

    “There’s a line of dialogue where Robert, who we find out is an adopted child...says, do you think that she knows that I’m her daddy? And I just find that idea really profound...” (22:17 - 23:23, Joel Edgerton)

Enduring Relevance: Work, Technology, and Society

• History Echoing the Present — Labor, Automation, and AI
  • The film subtly chronicles how manual labor was disrupted and automated, mirroring contemporary anxieties over AI.
  • Bentley emphasizes this is a timeless struggle, with parallels from coal miners to Amazon delivery drivers.
  • Quote:

    “Our little lives a lot of times are defined by these systems that we have no control over. They might as well be tornadoes or Greek gods...” (24:34 - 25:30, Clint Bentley)

• On Immigration, Environment, and Social Change
  • Edgerton observes that Robert’s observations of immigrant workers and environmental themes feel as relevant now as ever, reflecting issues that never really change over history.
  • Quote:

    “It’s incredible how the film, then the novella and therefore the film, kind of reflects so many things…these are things that we think we wouldn’t see in historical documents and pieces, and of course, they’re very, very relevant..." (26:38 - 27:53, Joel Edgerton)

Notable Quotes

• Clint Bentley (on adaptation):

  “The best [adaptations] are very loyal to the spirit of the book, but then kind of let the rest go.” (11:11)

• Joel Edgerton (on character relatability):

  “I just felt I could really connect with it. I felt like more than any other character I’ve played in years, it felt like one of the most personal things I could do, given my life has somewhat intersected with who Robert is.” (06:15)

• Clint Bentley (on the roots of labor anxiety):

  "Our little lives a lot of times are defined by these systems that we have no control over. They might as well be tornadoes or Greek gods...” (25:30)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Clint Bentley on discovering Train Dreams: 02:40 – 04:18
• Edgerton on finding universality in Robert: 04:37 – 06:24
• On everyday moments & their meaning: 06:24 – 07:45
• Joel talks about joining the project: 07:45 – 09:44
• Adaptation principles and the “shagginess” of the book: 11:01 – 13:16
• Portraying a nonverbal character (Edgerton): 13:38 – 15:48
• Directing internal performance & removing narration (Bentley): 15:55 – 17:56
• Embodying aging & physicality: 18:21 – 19:45
• Challenging decisions in shooting/editing: 20:17 – 21:49
• Depicting Robert’s love and anxiety: 22:07 – 24:14
• Labor, automation, and AI: 24:14 – 25:30
• Immigrant workers & environmental themes: 26:38 – 27:53

Memorable Moments

• Alison Stewart’s gentle reflection:

  “I wanted to go on a picnic after watching this film…” (06:24)

• Edgerton on the actor-director bond:

  “Clint, you’re not getting rid of me that easy...Let’s do it again.” (10:40)

• Clint Bentley on what gets left behind in adaptation:

  “There are some of the most affecting things I’ve read in literature. And...it feels impossible to translate...We tried very hard to translate it and couldn’t...it didn’t make it into the final cut.” (12:00 – 12:40)

Conclusion

This episode offers rich, thoughtful insight into the emotional and creative labor behind Train Dreams. Through stories both poetic and practical, Edgerton and Bentley reveal why the tale of Robert Granger resonates so deeply today, and how the small, quiet moments of life—as well as the large currents of history—shape both individual destiny and art. Whether you’re a fan of the novel, curious about film adaptation, or just seeking a moving story about love and work, this conversation is a deeply rewarding listen.