How would you make sure your life meant something? The good news is that it doesn’t take leading an extraordinary life to have someone remember you dearly. The most brilliant aspect of existence’s mysteries is how those we love can live on long after they’re gone, within us and through us. But, do they die with us? Mike Flanagan’s latest narrative feature sprinkles his distinctive stylistic flair into a whimsical project that often delves into the abyss. It explores the soft pockets of life within the pain and suffering. Through the adaptation, Flanagan dares to find answers to the questions proposed by the original author, Stephen King.
In 2020, the award-winning horror novelist published “The Life of Chuck” in If It Bleeds, a collection of four previously unpublished works. The Life of Chuck is a novella composed of three acts, presented in reverse chronological order. The film follows the same format. Approaching the movie as an unfamiliar spectator with no prior details may lead to confusion. Who is Chuck? Why do we care about his life? Well, Chuck is played by Tom Hiddleston, but that doesn’t matter towards the beginning. No, the film starts at the end and works its way to its emergence. Pretty simple, right?
As a science fiction drama, The Life of Chuck was both written and directed by Flanagan. It follows various people who have crossed paths with Chuck. This lends itself to the multitudes that an average person like him may contain. It’s difficult to explain without spoiling the film altogether, so this will have to do. In simple terms, the title of the film is quite literal.
It also features moving performances from Chiwetel Ejiofor, Karen Gillan, Jacob Tremblay, and Mark Hamill as well as some of Flanagan’s usual suspects from previous works, including his wife Kate Siegel. Following its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, it won the People’s Choice Award. This caused quite the fanfare surrounding the title, which often leads to high expectations. Unfortunately, they weren’t entirely met. While Flanagan’s adaptation holds an undeniable charm, the story’s lack of chronological order may deter some viewers. There is an audience for it, considering it’s reminiscent of projects such as The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, The Truman Show, and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Perhaps, you could even toss The Age of Adaline in there. Films that engage with reality, legacy, and how time shapes these concepts for us. All of them have reached cult status and perhaps even the title of “classic” among those nostalgic for these stories.
Flanagan’s adaptation may stand the test of time. It may even grow to become one of those films that many will enjoy after two sittings, once it seeps into your memory and forces you to understand the magic lying underneath the surface. There lies the beauty of such a complex movie. Due to its unconventional storytelling nature, it grants the viewer the privilege of experiencing it for the first time twice. The movie transforms before your eyes as you watch it. This is in part due to the film’s whimsy, which takes the viewer by the hand.
From a most existential beginning to a finale that meets the conclusion of the story like a snake eating its tail. The picture is its own little infinity in a sort of emotional paradox. It’s easy to relate to the despair in the first act, especially with the trying times we find ourselves in now more than ever. The cast is delightful to watch, and the writing often reads like a play–once again, this relates mainly to the first act, which might tickle the ear for those more aligned with theatrical storytelling. There’s a truth to every moment about the raw and primal need for solace, company, communication, and a shoulder to lean on. At only thirty-nine years of age, Chuck faces his mortality, but as the film goes on, the audience learns this wasn’t the first time.
All in all, it’s a hodgepodge of musings and philosophies. It tackles moments of joy through portrayals of human connection. While it can feel like wading through muddy water as the plot unfolds like a ripened orange whose peel is being slowly swirled off with a sharp knife, there’s a perception of enchantment within the unadulterated sadness. It’s an admirable feat of filmmaking, containing much more heart than logic. The Life of Chuck is a beautiful, melancholic symphony of grief as heartwarming as it is wholesome, despite its unusual structure. It’s a reminder that people can be wonderful, and they deserve to be treated as such.
Rating: 6/10
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