A story of life told in three parts, The Life of Chuck thematically and tonally seems like a detour for filmmaker Mike Flanagan, whose usual penchant for horror doesn’t necessarily align with the celebratory, reflective, life-affirming themes of this film. However, once you discover that The Life of Chuck is an adaptation of a Stephen King short story, something that Flanagan has succeeded in time and time again, then The Life of Chuck doesn’t just seem like a logical story for Flanagan to add to his filmography, but one that shows his understanding of King’s work on an incredibly moving and personal level, which illuminates through the screen throughout this amazing film.
Hyperbole, a cop out, or whatever people may say – The Life of Chuck is absolutely a film that’s best to know nothing about before viewing. It’s unique, reverse-told plot structure that follows the life of Chuck Krantz (played in 3 different eras of his life by Tom Hiddleston, Jacob Tremblay, and Benjamin Pajak), an entirely ordinary man whose life experience forms a tale that explores the beauty of existence, the multitudes that exist within us all, and the last impacting of human connection, presented in a genre-bending way that can only be seen to be truly felt and understood.
“The Life of Chuck thematically and tonally seems like a detour for filmmaker Mike Flanagan…“
Featuring an ensemble cast including Chiwetel Ejiofor, Karen Gillan, Mark Hamill, Mia Sara, Matthew Lillard and many, many more, there is a sincerity and joyfulness that exudes through the performances. As the story begins at the end (in a very mysterious and ponderous way, the literal end of the world as it would seem), the reflective dialogues between characters and chemistry that feels incredibly authentic brings forward these transcendent performances from actors like Ejifor and Gillan that immediately hits an introspective spot within the audiences souls.
As the story continues, and the titular life of Chuck is revealed through an examination of his adolescence, in which his grandparents are played by Mark Hamill and Mia Sara in powerhouse roles, tugs on a different heartstring – a more nostalgic longing for youth and the warmth that arises through the moments in life that form who Chuck is, and honestly, who we all are. There’s an equal amount of heartbreak and optimism that bleeds through each character and their respective performance.
The discourse around the film’s themes are just as interesting as Flanagan’s exploration of them. Audiences may see the focus on the finality of our existence, and the ever lasting fear around our mortality that the story begins with, hard to watch and deal with. However, as the film goes on, Flanagan makes an incredibly beautiful and optimistic effort to show how our time, no matter how short or how unfairly it can be taken from us, is wonderful. The pure fact that existence is an option, and the impact that we all have on each other, no matter how significant or not, is the greatest gift life can give.
There is no better way to exemplify this than with how Flanagan uses music and dance to portray joy. Banging 80s hits like Gimme Some Lovin’ and Dance Hall Days play a pivotal part in the soundtrack, often resulting in involuntary toe-tapping. But, it’s the film’s second act, in which an exhilarating dance number, featuring Hiddleston, to a rollicking drum beat, brings an immense amount of joy and will undoubtedly go down as one of the best movie scenes of the year.
Flanagan’s aesthetic, something that has always been a standout in his work, uses picturesque imagery to exacerbate the reflective state of the narrative. The warm glows of the sun and the starry expanses of the night sky are often used to show that even in the saddest of life’s moments, there is always light and beauty. Flanagan’s editing of the film is also noteworthy, especially during the aforementioned dance number, in which he injects so much dynamic energy into the scene with the quick cuts to the beat.
The Life of Chuck is a reminder of both the beauty of existence and the magic of storytelling by telling a life-spanning story in a unique and wonderful way that, despite their pre-conceived notions set within the horror genre, both Mike Flanagan and Stephen King could only do. This is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful cinematic celebrations of life ever made.
The Life of Chuck is in cinemas August 14.
