The Life of Chuck
Horror maestro Mike Flanagan, shows a much more tender and sentimental side of his filmmaking in this deep, emotionally-fulfilling drama.
When talking about the greatest modern horror auteurs, several names always come up: Jordan Peele, Ari Aster, Robert Eggers, and James Wan. Then there’s Mike Flanagan, who has always been a one-of-a-kind visionary in producing some of the greatest modern horror films and TV shows, from “Gerald’s Game,” “Doctor Sleep,” “The Haunting of Hill House,” and my personal favorite, “Midnight Mass.” The way he can blend poignant themes of theology, filled with lengthy monologues, with a jump scare just ten minutes later, is poetic. That might sound hyperbolic, and sure, in some cases, it is. But it’s also true.
Flanagan is also an unabashed Stephen King fanboy, as you can probably see with the first two movies mentioned in the last paragraph. Hell, he’s even working on TV adaptations of “Carrie” and “The Dark Tower.”
Then there’s his latest film, “The Life of Chuck,” his first feature in nearly six years. It’s another King adaptation, based on a novella featured in the book “If It Bleeds.” It’s not like the King stories Flanagan has worked on before; it's far more sentimental. The trailer markets the film as from the legendary author of “The Shawshank Redemption,” “The Green Mile,” and “Stand by Me,” but those aren’t the greatest comparisons either.
While Tom Hiddleston’s titular character is front and center in the marketing of the movie, he’s not actually on screen all too much. Yet, as you can infer from the title, this is a movie about Chuck’s life. Just depicted in a way you haven’t seen told. The movie, told through three distinct acts in reverse chronology, begins with high school teacher Marty Anderson (Chiwetel Ejiofor), who has begun to realize that he is living in the end times of civilization. The internet has gone out all around the world, there’s been a series of natural disasters, and billboards and radio ads have been appearing everywhere, depicting a handsome, glasses-wearing man, all saying the same, mysterious message: “Charles Krantz: 39 Great Years! Thanks, Chuck!”
Marty connects with his ex-wife Felicia (Karen Gillan), and the two reconnect, discussing what their relationship could have been. As stars begin disappearing from the night sky, the two former lovers realize that their world is ending in a matter of days, and we begin to get a picture of what “The Life of Chuck” is really about.
In the next two acts, we begin to learn about who Chuck really is, including in the second act where we see him joyfully dancing to a busking drummer (Taylor Gordon) and inviting a young woman (Annalise Basso) to join him. In the final act, we take a look at Chuck’s tragic childhood (played at different ages by Cody Flanagan, Benjamin Pajak, and Jacob Tremblay), where after losing both of his parents at the age of 7, moves in with his grandparents, Albie (Mark Hamill) and Sarah (Mia Sara). This is where we learn about Chuck’s love of dancing and how it got him through the burdens of his seemingly endless streak of loss.
As you can probably tell, “The Life of Chuck” isn’t a horror movie or even much of a genre film, outside of a few sci-fi and supernatural elements sprinkled in. It’s a heartfelt drama about living your life to the fullest. Death looms large over the entirety of the movie, but instead of making it scary, Flanagan wants the audience to know, it’s not something we should be afraid of. He wants us to embrace the life we’ve got, and to live in the now, don’t fret about the end, because it’ll come to us all eventually. This could have easily come across as cheesy and saccharine, but “The Life of Chuck” avoids those accusations because it's abundantly clear that Flanagan is writing from an honest place, and perhaps his most vulnerable to date. A tough feat for Flanagan to reach, considering “Midnight Mass” had him confronting his Catholic upbringing and eventual loss of faith.
Flanagan gets to experiment more with his direction, the first act playing out a bit more similarly to what we expect from him, full of lengthy existential monologues and a feeling of immense sadness that just won’t stop eating at you. The second act is full of light, aesthetically feeling more like a storybook, just one set on Boylston Street in Boston. While the last act has a more nostalgic feel to it, almost like an Amblin film. Admittingly, it feels jarring at first, as the tonal shifts feel abrupt, but once you get on Flanagan’s wavelength, you’ll find yourself resonating with at least something in the overall story.
Much like Flanagan’s TV series, he’s assembled a vast ensemble cast. Some are only in there for a line or two, while others get to truly shine. Hiddelston is joyfully committed to making Chuck feel like more than just a Manic Pixie Dream Man who dances in the street and attracts a crowd. He gives the audience hints at what is really going on in his head. However, the film’s two biggest stand-outs are Hamill and Sara as Chuck’s grandparents. Despite not having acted in over a decade, Sara’s performance feels natural. Yes, Chuck is the heart of the whole movie, but Sara’s Sarah is just as much so. Hamill also delivers some tender and emotional moments as Chuck’s alcoholic grandfather, who is very protective of his home’s cupola, which seems to be hiding some dark secrets.
“The Life of Chuck” shows that while Flanagan is already a master at horror, he is also more than capable of telling a story that feels life-affirming, instead of one full of fear and dread. Many of his directorial trademarks are still present, but are presented in a way that feels incredibly fresh. For those who are fans of his or King’s or are just on the look out for a damn good movie, “The Life of Chuck” is one you won’t want to miss. It’s one of the year’s very best.
“The Life of Chuck” opens in theaters everywhere on June 13.