By Keith Walther | Rose Law Group Reporter
Fans of Stephen King will know that he writes more than just horror. In fact, “The Life of Chuck” is a drama based on King’s collection of short stories entitled “If it Bleeds.” What really sets this story apart is its creative portrayal of living life that can be joyously sweet, heart wrenchingly sad, and compassionately inspiring.
The story is broken up into three acts, beginning with the final act and working its way backwards to the first act. Initially, this appears to be an apocalyptic plot following a teacher in suburbia named Marty Anderson (Chiwetel Ejiofor) and his ex-wife nurse Felicia Gordon (Karen Gillan). As they come to terms with inevitable doom, they are curiously and continually distracted by billboards, radio spots, and television ads featuring an unknown man named Charles Krantz (Tom Hiddleston), who is oddly being thanked for his 39 years of work in the midst of chaos.
As the story progresses, or rewinds as it were, Chuck’s very ordinary life is made more apparent as it shows him in his most poignant memories of his life from adulthood to his teenage years (Jacob Tremblay) to his childhood (Benjamin Pajak). Through these memories, viewers are granted important insights that define his life, whether it is life lessons from his grandparents, Albie (Mark Hamill) and Sarah (Mia Sara), or impactful conversations with strangers such as Sam Yarborough (Carl Lumbly). While Chuck’s life may have been plainly ordinary, its retelling is extraordinary.
Mike Flanagan is widely known for his work in the horror genre and his affinity for Stephen King stories, having directed “Gerald’s Game” and “Doctor Sleep” previously. So, this is a rare foray for Flanagan into the realm of drama, but his creative filmmaking style takes this story to another level. Non-linear formats tend to lose audience interest because starting with the end tends to eliminate suspense, but Flanagan successfully maintains the audience’s investment as he slowly reveals how the end came to be. In some ways, this is similar to how “Memento” played out, and he craftily incorporates symbolism and philosophical ideals to tease key reveals without being blatant.
To complete this intellectual stunner, Flanagan incorporates cinematography and visuals that truly compliment the imaginative style of this film. He gives it an almost, but not quite, surreal quality that seems somewhat dreamlike, similarly to “Big Fish.” It’s just enough to have viewers question this world’s reality without going overboard like in “What Dreams May Come.” This allows audiences to come to their own conclusions, which some people may not appreciate, but it creates a more unique storytelling experience. Flanagan also incorporates music that compliments this experience and evokes strong feelings that will move audiences.
Enhancing this special story is the wonderful cast that starts with Tom Hiddleston. This English actor’s breakthrough performance did not occur until 2011, when he made his triumphant debut in “Thor” as Marvel’s premiere villain, Loki. This challenging role as the title character shows the range Hiddleston is capable of, exhibiting moments of profound introspection and then breaking into dance that is filled with such joy, it infects the audience, making them want to jump through the screen to live in that moment with him.
Fellow Marvel alumni Chiwetel Ejiofor and Karen Gillan provide their own impactful supporting performances as their characters face down an impending apocalypse, trying to harness the meaning of it all while dealing with the real fear of looming death. Carl Lumbly, who also appeared in the most recent “Captain America” film, gives another memorable performance in a small role with perfect line delivery that imparts key pieces of advice and clarity for the main character. Then there’s Mark Hamill, who is completely unrecognizable in the grandfather role. His sad portrayal of this old man dealing with constant grief yields touching, emotional moments that will stay with the audience.
NEON has done it again, bringing forth a riveting story told in an imaginative way that will capture viewers’ imagination. The distributors of Best Picture winners like “Parasite” and last year’s “Anora” unabashedly favors quality in its storytelling, and that couldn’t be more true with “The Life of Chuck.” This is not only one of the best movies of the year so far, but it’s also one of the most poignantly impactful productions. See this transformative film in the theater and celebrate life with Chuck.
This movie earns:
