Acclaimed author Stephen King is known for finding filmmakers he likes to work with and forming fruitful collaborations with them. The Life of Chuck is the latest adaptation of one of King’s stories by Doctor Sleep and Gerald’s Game filmmaker Mike Flanagan. Although it’s different than what one might expect from both Flanagan and King, this is a beautiful, profound, lovely film.
The Life of Chuck Review
Based on a short story by Stephen King, The Life of Chuck tells the story of an ordinary man named Charles Krantz through three chapters in his life, examining the many people he touched throughout the years. Adapting short stories into feature films can be difficult, but King’s writing is so rich and dense that there is plenty of material to pull from.
Like the short story, Flanagan’s script is structured in reverse chronological order. It’s an intriguing approach that defies our expectations of character. However, it is incredibly effective at immersing viewers in the story. The first chapter is the most traditionally “cinematic,” while the final has the most poignant emotional impact. Because of this, the story can hook audiences, only to utterly crush their hearts in the final third.
Part of why King has been so successful is that his writing is incredibly diverse and eclectic. While he’s arguably best known for his horror novels and stories like It, he’s also written plenty of more dramatic and life-affirming work. The Life of Chuck blends King’s genre tendencies with those of his more sentimental, moving stuff, like Stand by Me or The Green Mile. It’s a surprising, effective mixture that only someone like King could pull off.
As far as execution, Flanagan’s movie shows its seams a little in its sci-fi-heavy first act, but its second and third acts are astounding. There is a showstopping musical number in the second act that’s wonderfully choreographed and scored, and the final third’s production design and soft cinematography truly shine.
Although the three segments of the film feel very different in tone and story, Flanagan’s script blends them together wonderfully through theme. The Life of Chuck wears its sentimentality on its sleeve — it’s a crowd-pleaser that exists to remind viewers of the joy in the little things and the small moments. While its message is evident by the climax of the first story, its remaining two-thirds are poignant enough to justify the nearly two-hour runtime.
Tom Hiddleston (Loki) is being billed as the lead, which isn’t entirely fair, as he really only headlines the middle third of the film. He’s an omniscient but inactive presence in the first chapter, and the third chapter follows Jacob Tremblay (Room), playing a younger version of him. However, despite having somewhat little screen time, Hiddleston makes quite an impression. One scene in the second act stands out as the movie’s most memorable and will elicit enthusiastic cheers and applause from joyous audiences.
However, The Life of Chuck is a true ensemble piece, with performers from the three chapters all having moving moments. The film sees a reunion between Flanagan and his Oculus star Karen Gillan, and the director manages to get an unexpectedly poignant turn out of the typically flat actress. Chiwetel Ejiofor is super likable and authentic in his role, as is Jacob Tremblay. There are also some one-scene appearances from folks like Matthew Lillard, David Dastmalchian, Rahul Kohli, and more that illustrate the movie’s point about the importance of small moments.
Is The Life of Chuck worth watching?
With The Life of Chuck, Mike Flanagan has created not only one of the finest films in his own repertoire but also one of the best entries in the canon of Stephen King adaptations. While on the one-note side, The Life of Chuck is a lovely, joyous little movie that will charm its way into audiences’ hearts.
The Life of Chuck is playing at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival, which runs September 5-14.
The Life of Chuck TIFF Review — Mike Flanagan’s Latest Stephen King Adaptation is Beautifully Life-Affirming
Mike Flanagan’s Stephen King adaptation The Life of Chuck is a wonderful, joyous film. Although it can be a bit sentimental at times, its excellent ensemble and poignant script make this a lovable crowd-pleaser.
