Shadows on the Wall | The Life of Chuck

The Life of Chuck

dir-scr Mike Flanagan
prd Trevor Macy, Mike Flanagan
with Tom Hiddleston, Jacob Tremblay, Benjamin Pajak, Cody Flanagan, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Karen Gillan, Mark Hamill, Mia Sara, Carl Lumbly, The Pocket Queen, Annalise Basso, Q'orianka Kilcher
release US 6.Jun.25,
UK 22.Aug.25
24/US 1h50

TORONTO FILM FEST

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Based on Stephen King's novella, this ambitious drama takes its inspiration from Walt Whitman's line "I am large, I contain multitudes" as it explores identity and mortality. Writer-director Mike Flanagan amps up the sentiment, aided by a proscriptive Newton Brothers score. And deliberately artificial elements undermine the inventive storytelling. Even so, the film is packed with powerfully involving moments and terrific characters sharply played by a solid cast.

Chuck Krantz's story unfolds in reverse. First, teacher Marty (Ejiofor) turns to ex-wife Felicia (Gillan) for comfort during extreme climate change. Neither understands why ads featuring Chuck (Hiddleston) are everywhere. In Act 2, Chuck spots Taylor (The Pocket Queen) drumming on a street corner and starts to dance, joined by recently single Janice (Basso). Finally, orphaned 7-year-old Chuck (Flanagan) moves in with his grandparents (Hamill and Sara). Later, he (now Pajak) discovers his talent for dancing. At 17, he (now Tremblay) can finally look inside the locked cupola where his grandfather apparently glimpsed the future.

People flow between the acts, signalling to us that we shouldn't take everything literally. These are the thoughts of a man looking back at his life, narrated omnisciently by Nick Offerman. In between beautifully played scenes that bristle with earthy grit, each emotion is loudly punched in a way that often takes us aback, as if the film is shouting an Important Theme. The problem is that there are indeed seriously resonant things going on, but they're only moving if we give in to the pushy filmmaking.

It helps that the actors add offhanded wit and physicality. Ejiofor and Gillan shine in the first chapter, digging deep to explore the lingering bond between former spouses. Hiddleston gets to sparkle in the middle section, bouncing wonderfully off Basso and The Pocket Queen. The third part offers Hamill one of his deepest roles in recent memory, and also a chance for Flanagan, Pajak and Tremblay to find surprising textures as younger versions of Chuck. Among a number of cameos, there's a notably strong turn by David Dastmalchian.

While the story structure and offbeat narrative feel gimmicky, there is so much real-life experience here that the film can't help but hold our attention. It's a rare movie that encourages us to look at our lives from a new perspective, not worrying about how little time we have left, but instead finding the joy in every single moment. And because it never falls back on the usual storytelling cliches, it's unusually provocative as it encourages us to think outside the box.

themes, language, violence 13.Mar.25

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