United States of America | 2024 | 110m | English

The Life of Chuck is an adaptation of a Stephen King novella by director Mike Flanagan about an ordinary man and the way his life affects the world around him.

I leave that synopsis vague both because this movie is probably best experienced with minimal foreknowledge of the story but also because admittedly it’s hard to summarize given the decidedly postmodern story structure. The film is divided into distinct thirds, but these are told out of order and star completely different sets of actors. At some points the movie is a sci-fi mystery, and elsewhere it’s a period piece coming-of-age musical. The Stephen King influence is felt not in any kind of horror moments, of which there are zero, but in the deft handling of genres and characters. However, there is some conspicuous overbearing narration left in the film, which stood out as a clear remnant of the story’s origin as a novella.

How does the epic, disjointed storytelling come together? By the time the ending came, I could say to myself, “Yeah, uh… I’m pretty sure I get it.” The Life of Chuck is left open to interpretation in many ways, but I saw it as a heartfelt and touching exploration of what it means to make the most of one’s limited time on Earth.

This movie ended up winning the “People’s Choice Award” for this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, meaning that this will likely go on to receive a smattering of nominations at the next Oscars. (And because the Oscars love its dance scenes, it will probably win many of them.) I was glad that I got to view one of the first screenings of the film, attended by the director and lead actors – all of whom did a great job at portraying Chuck at different points in his life. The Life of Chuck is a smart film that has a lot to offer those who are willing to thoughtfully engage with it.

3.5/5

Viewed on September 7, 2024 at the Visa Screening Room at the Princess of Wales Theatre as part of the Toronto International Film Festival 2024.