THE LIFE OF CHUCK

There’s a life-affirming quality to Mike Flanagan’s new film, “The Life of Chuck.” Although based on a short story by Stephen King, it only brushes on the supernatural. It’s one of their more touching narratives—a reflection on life and the roads we do or don’t take. Without having to be beholden to any distinct horror elements, the characters, not the genre, get to take the lead.

Flanagan’s screenplay unfurls thoughtfully, and just like the short, it is told in reverse (Act 3 to Act 1). What is essentially a reflection on a man’s life begins in a place where others are finding out and asking questions about Chuck (“39 great years”), all while dealing with catastrophic shifts in their everyday lives, in what feels like the end times. As we shift backward in time, Tom Hiddleston appears as the adult version of Chuck, his charm and charisma on full display. His highlight is a beautifully choreographed dance sequence that becomes the linchpin for the entire film.

Stepping backward through Chuck’s life again, we see him as a kid. The young actors playing Chuck are great, but it’s Benjamin Pajak who gets to draw the most emotion from the viewer. Shown at a time in his life when he’s living with his grandparents after his family dies, Chuck gets torn between his love of dancing—encouraged by an instructor and the older girl he likes—and a more practical path pushed by his grandfather, played tenderly by Mark Hamill.

What results in telling the story in reverse is a broader sense of missed chances and alternate paths through life. What if Chuck had pursued dancing rather than accounting? What would the “multitudes” inside of him have turned out to be then? What if we all followed the versions of ourselves we sometimes push aside? All of this left me in tears.

With horror as their center of gravity, this isn’t your typical Mike Flanagan film or Stephen King story. It feels deeply personal; it’s quieter and more emotional. It’s not a ghost story. It’s a life story. And in its final, silent moments, it’s nothing short of transcendent.

VIEWED ON
Saturday, May 31, 2025
AMC Burbank 16 | Dolby Cinema
(w/ Q&A featuring Mike Flanagan, Tom Hiddleston, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Mark Hamill)