Title – The Life of Chuck (2024)
Director – Mike Flanagan (Doctor Sleep)
Cast – Tom Hiddleston, Benjamin Pajak, Jacob Tremblay, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Karen Gillan, Mark Hamill
Plot – Explores three distinct chapters in the life of everyday man Charles Krantz (Hiddleston) both as an adult, child (Pajak) and teenager (Tremblay) examining the multitudes found in just one persons universe.
“I will live my life until my life runs out”
Review by Eddie on 18/08/2025
After previously working on an assortment of Stephen King adaptations, feature films in the forms of Gerald’s Game and the unexpectedly good Doctor Sleep, while currently hard at work on TV iterations of King’s iconic Carrie and Dark Tower novels, horror gun Mike Flanagan surprises here with a sentimental and heartfelt take on King’s short story, The Life of Chuck.
Winner of the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival People’s Choice Award, a highly prestigious accolade when you consider the five previous winners are Oscar heavyweights American Fiction, The Fabelmans, Belfast, Nomadland and Jojo Rabbit, Chuck is an unexpectedly sweet and touching experience that showcases a whole different side to Flanagan’s filmmaking repertoire while at the same time highlighting the undervalued works of King when he isn’t writing about rabid dogs, demonic clowns or bloody prom nights.
Broken up into three distinct chapters that all follow in their own unique ways the journey of everyday boy turned family man accountant Chuck Krantz, Chuck may not make its full self apparent straightaway but as we begin to unlock and see what Flanagan and King have in store for us, it’s highly likely that anyone on board with this touching ride will be moved and inspired by what’s at play in this intensely human experience.
Beautifully scored by composers The Newton Brothers, Chuck’s emotionally charged story that ranges from the confronting, the supernatural, right through to the downright whimsical (thanks to Hiddleston’s dance teacher), there’s a lot going on in Chuck’s sub two hour running time but there’s a sense that no matter how big or small everything gets at the core of everything is a strong beating heart full of character and intent and while some may accuse Flanagan of laying on the schmaltz here, that sentiment is a disservice to a film that appears to be coming from a sincere and respectful place.
Throughout Flanagan’s film is a collection of three great central performances, from the established Hiddleston as middle aged Chuck, matured one time child star Jacob Tremblay as teenage Chuck and a standout Benjamin Pajak as a young and impressionable Chuck who gets some of the films most touching moments alongside an awards worthy Mark Hamill as his troubled grandfather Albie Krantz.
It’s a great example of team work bringing Chuck to life on the big screen and you can feel this is a film made with love and care and that those involved were invested in its outcome.
Slowly but surely revealing himself to be one of the most original and unique writer/directors working in the industry today, with his masterpiece mini-series Midnight Mass a shining example of his abilities, Chuck is further proof that Flanagan is one of the best in the business and if he takes this form into his Carrie and Dark Tower projects, film/TV fans are in for a great ride.
Final Say –
Curiously going under the radar recently after its highly noted Toronto Film Festival showing, The Life of Chuck is likely to gain a significant following in the years to come as viewers discover a heartfelt film full of life, love and important lessons.
4 1/2 street dances out of 5
Jordan and Eddie (The Movie Guys) 
I really did enjoy it, and I love both the main creators work as well – which clearly helps – but I didn’t quite get as much of an emotional impact as I’d thought by that final third conclusion, as I thought I might have – although I was still considering it all the morning after 🙂
And I love that this type of filmmaking can be still happening in an original form, that’s so important!
I was probably caught off guard here a little mate in regards to the emotional core of the story and how sentimental it all was.
Really hoping Flanagan can take some of this into the Dark Tower series he’s working on, I truly hope someone can do that justice.
E
The first two ‘acts’ did for me as well, so I hear you bud!
And yeah, I think he’s doing Carrie as well? I just read the book properly, as don’t think I ever had, man that’s intense… and we all know it, but King is such a master creator of worlds
It’s great King has found such a fan of his works that is competent to tackle them. Flanagan’s work on Midnight Mass will always give me great faith that he can tackle any project if the stars align.
E
Agreed! Interestingly, I’ve pondered on it for a week now and wasn’t sure how I’d review but was inspired to, in a sense that it deserves to be thought about:
if you fancy a read!
Thanks for sharing mate.
E
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