The Life of Chuck

Set in reverse-chronological order, The Life of Chuck tells the life-story of a man named Chuck, and how he seems to have an impact on the world - and the universe - around him.

Now I know that synopsis probably sounds frustratingly vague, but that's the point; The Life of Chuck is probably best appreciated if you watch it knowing as little about it as possible.

All you really need to know is that this is another Stephen King adaptation by director Mike Flanagan. Which is surprising on two different fronts: both King and Flanagan are known for making scary, horror-based projects. But The Life of Chuck is neither scary nor horror related. So this is not the type of movie that you would expect from either of these creatives. 

I mean, King also wrote stories like The Green Mile and The Shawshank Redemption, but The Life of Chuck still feels radically different than either of those two projects; the tone is far more hopeful and optimistic. Plus, The Life of Chuck utilizes a surprising amount of sci-fi and supernatural elements, which helped give the movie a unique identity of its own. 

So, without comparing it to the past work of Flanagan or King, how does The Life of Chuck stand on its own two feet? Pretty damn good! 

The Life of Chuck is a beautiful movie. One that reminds us to appreciate the beauty and wonder of life's fleeting moments. Because these moments, no matter how small or unimportant they may seem at the time, can still be profoundly significant. 

Things that Chuck experienced as a child, even briefly, can still hold meaning in his life several decades later. And the same can be said for all of us. I mean, that may seem like a pretty obvious statement, but how often do we take the time to reflect over how our past experiences have had an impact on the person that we are today? Or how the way we act today will impact the lives of others around us? 

I’m not sure, but that’s probably why this movie has an impressively large ensemble cast; so we can see how the actions of one person can have a rippling effect on those around him. Plus, everyone featured in this cast delivers a really solid performance, and that helps in making the story feel all the more profound. 

Tom Hiddleston does a fantastic job of playing the titular Chuck - as does Jacob Tremblay as a younger version of the character - but this movie isn’t solely about Chuck. It’s about his world, his universe, and all of the people who inhabit it. This story doesn’t work if we don’t have the characters played by Mark Hamill, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Karen Gillan, or Matthew Lillard. So I’m glad that they all delivered some really good performances here. 

And I’m glad that Flanagan decided to make this movie now. Because, at a time where it feels like the world is constantly on the brink of falling apart, it’s important to remember that everyone’s life has value. That our actions can, and do, have an impact on lives of people around us. And that every individual’s life contains a universe unto itself. 

That’s a pretty important message, in my opinion. And that’s not even getting into how the film reminds us to find meaning in moments of pain, grief, heartbreak, and loss. All of which adds up to make this a thematically rich and deeply emotional film. It didn't give me a life-altering experience or anything, but it did manage to resonate with me. So I really enjoyed it! 

It was a nice change of pace from director Mike Flanagan. But it seems like Flanagan will be returning to his horror-based roots pretty soon, since he’s currently working on an adaptation of Carrie and a reboot of The Exorcist. Which both sound like fun! And I do believe that they’ll end up being good. 

I just hope that we’ll get to see the sweeter and softer side of Flanagan in more of his future projects. Because The Life of Chuck is a really damn good film, and it would definitely get a recommendation from me.