Life of Chuck

It says, when you die, you die for good. There is nothing there in the 'great beyond', no 'heaven', no meeting with your ancestors, your dad, mom, you just cease to exist altogether. It's like turning off your TV: sudden blackness. The last thought in your mind is 'I love y...' and there is nothing. Now, that is very, extremely hard to take as a thought before one dies. The nothingness. What about your mind, your consciousness, your feeling of ego, your identity? Where does it go? Does it go anywhere? The person you are. Well, that doesn't, it says. You die. You will no longer exist. Only the influences you made will live in others. Not you. I think that's why religions were invented. To make you believe that your own self won't disappear into nothingness. I also think that's why heaven and hell were invented... ...I believe it is a very thought-provoking project, full of atheism and a lot of wishful religious thinking at the same time.

I went into The Life of Chuck knowing nothing about it other than it being a Stephen King novella.

I assumed the movie was going to be horror, and I was so wrong, in the best way. Mike Flanagan was a director I was unfamiliar with as well - so my expectations were really empty.

That being said - The Life of Chuck took the beats of what makes a great horror film - fleshed out and relatable characters with a unique and mysterious situation to put them in.

I want to leave my critique relatively vague as I believe the hook of the film works best going in without knowing much.

I left the film feeling a mix of joy and melancholy and appreciated the artistry that brought me there.

I do recommend.

I had the pleasure of attending Regal's Mystery Movie Monday and was absolutely delighted to preview The Life of Chuck. Directed by Mike Flanagan and adapted from Stephen King's novella, this film is a deeply moving exploration of life's fleeting moments and the quiet, powerful ways one person can leave a mark on the world.

Tom Hiddleston gives a captivating performance as Charles "Chuck" Krantz, portraying his life in reverse, from death back to childhood. Jacob Tremblay and Benjamin Pajak, who portray Chuck at younger ages, deliver equally sincere and affecting performances, each capturing the spirit and complexity of the character at various stages of his life. The film's unconventional structure may initially challenge viewers, but by the end, it offers a resonant, emotionally rich experience that lingers long after the credits roll.

The supporting cast brings warmth, depth, and surprise. Mia Sara, in a heartfelt return to the screen, shines as Chuck's mother. Matthew Lillard's brief appearance is both deeply touching and meomorable (my one complaint is that he did not return later in the movie), and Mark Hamill lends weight and tenderness in his role as Chuck's grandfather. Nick Offerman serves as the narrator, and his voice, calm, grounded, and thoughtful, beautifully anchors the film's reflective tone.

As a teacher, I was especially moved by the portrayal of educators. Characters like Miss Richards (Kate Siegel), Miss Rohrbacher (Samantha Sloyan), and the beautifully portrayed role by Chiwetel Ejiofor, all embody the kind of teachers we aspire to be, compassionate, inspiring, and transformative. Their presence in Chuck's life is a testament to the quiet heroism of educators.

And I have to say it, Rahul Kohli is a joy to watch in everything he does. His presence is always a highlight.

The Life of Chuck is more than just a film, it's a love letter to life, memory, connection, and the meaning we create in our short time here. Flanagan's masterful direction, paired with a stellar cast and emotionally intelligent storytelling, makes this one of the most beautiful and thought-provoking films of the year.

I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone ready to be moved, and reminded of what truly matters.

I went into this with no idea about what this film was about, other than it was supposedly life-affirming and feel-good.

The structure of the movie wasn't something I expected, but understand the intentions. The movie starts with the 3rd act, which is completely detached from the bulk of the movie. I don't want to add spoilers, so won't go into too much detail but to me, this 3rd act sets up a completely different movie to the one that plays out. Again, I understand the intentions, but I was ready for a completely different type of movie by the end of the 3rd act.

Acts 1 & 2 are great and more in-fitting with what I presume are the intentions of the story, but even here, I wouldn't say "life-affirming" or "feel-good" are the emotions I left with. In the end I left with melancholy and sadness, both at the story of Chuck, but also what this movie could have been.

Production, acting and cinematography are all excellent, so no complaints there. It's just that 3rd act at the beginning that threw me. As I said above, I was ready for a totally different type of movie, which I think would have been far more interesting to explore i.e. - end of the world and, rather more interestingly, not setting up a complete hellscape/dystopia, but instead seeing individual and society's reactions as they try to cling on to normality and watching things evolve as things progressively decline.

On the whole, I enjoyed this film, but I didn't "love" it, nor would I sing its praises too much if quizzed about it.

It honestly boggles my mind how I kept reading about how this movie was bombing at the box office, when it clearly was very poorly marketed. It was two weeks after its "wide" release before it finally showed up to our local art house/second run movie theater. The chain multiplexes gave it a complete miss.

Mike Flanagan is a very talented screenwriter and director and this was possibly Stephen King's most sentimental work. And there's two INCREDIBLE dance scenes. The result is completely human, uplifting film.

There is some anxiety inducing story in the start of the film, but it is not a horror film by any measure. King is also very good with general fiction too, after all.

This movie will stick with you for awhile. Hours after my viewing, I was still thinking about it (and tearing up.)