A Vida de Chuck

I so very much enjoy Tom Hiddleston in films. Karen Gillan is also a treat to watch in selected films. The rest of the cast is worth more than an honorable mention alone, as many familiar faces grace the screen (especially toward the beginning of the film). Lastly, I tend to love this 'type' of movie. I can't give too much away without using a spoiler tag, but if you watch the interview(s) with the cast featured here on IMDB, you'll know what "type" I am referring to. I wonder if I can get away with 'apocalyptic', since that is a word straight from one of these interviews.

That said ... it was a bit of a letdown for me.

The beginning was slow, but it was good. It built an expectancy toward so much more and a feeling that it was going to get so much better. Sadly, that was never fully realized or delivered.

Beginning in the second act, the film definitely starts to bog down and suffers from side or follow-up scenes that are just way too long and a bit far-fetched. The narration, too, is used far too often to the point of it just about verging on annoying.

By the third act, when they begin to introduce what is supposed to be the point of the entire thing, it has already been too bogged down by too much of not enough - if that makes sense. While the child actor is adorable and does so well, here too the movie just drags.

Moreover, everything is so overly-EXPLAINED. It's kind of like Flanagan did not trust the audience to understand what was happening, so either the narrator or characters went to great lengths to explain every detail. Well, while some may disagree, I believe audiences are more intelligent than this film gives them (us) credit for.

Sorry Mike Flanagan fans, but this is the third time I have been let down by one of his offerings. :(

I feel like this movie had all the parts to make it a beautiful experience, but it failed to put them together properly. The initial mystery in act 1 is quite intriguing and makes you wonder, what this kind-looking man Chuck, that keeps popping up in advertisements all over the world has to do with the planets looming demise. But acts 2 and 3 (or 2 and 1, as the movie decides to engage in "reverse" storytelling) fail to convey a coherent story or motive. It is all losely held together by the premise of "being your true self" and "you are all the things that you experience and all the memories that you make" but the way these themes are shown are on the one hand to vague to truly get you invested, but on the other hand also riddled in clichees. The grandpa giving a discouraging speech to the kid about how it is more important to stick to tangible things like math, than to creative aspirations. The teacher giving a 5 minute talk to his ex-wife about "how we are only a blip second in the eternity that is the universe". The kid finally overcoming his fears of expressing himself at the most clichee high-school graduation dance scene of all time. It has the topics that are supposed to make you cry and feel hopeful at the same time, but they feel like you have seen them before a million times in better stories. And the most intriguing part of the plot, the most profound experience that the main character must have had had throughout his entire life is only revealed to us in the final scene. It would have been great to see, how this would have shaped his actions going forward, but in the timeline of the movie, we only get one scene of him afterwards. And while it includes an impressive dance choreography, it is not enough to fully capture the character´s whole underlying motivation. And the overall explanation of the initial mystery also kind of falls flat.

I left the cinema feeling nothing.

Summed up, Mike Flanagan made a deep, multilayered yet beautiful film about the value of life. It's really hard to explain but Flanagan does not waste a single shot. There is a narration throughout the movie, yet right from 'Act Three,' everything seen and experienced unfolds perfectly in 'Act One.' Ejiofor & Gillan are fantastic in Act Three but if The Life of Chuck is to be nominated for anything, it has to be the sound. From the cosmic elements in 'Act Three' to the dancing scenes in 'Acts Two & One,' Flanagan did an exceptional job incorporating the sound throughout.

Of course, everyone was focusing on Hiddleston and his character, but Tom even mentioned it was really a team effort in Act Two and Annalise Basso, Hiddleston's dance partner in Act Two, and Taylor Gordon (who is in the credits as The Pocket Queen), the busker, all three combined with their choreographers Mandy Moore & Stephanie Powell really make the dance scene sing. Taylor Gordon is a talent in herself in her brief, but excellent role.

What surprised me was how Act One was with young Chuck and no one talks about how excellent the kids were. Their performances were just as brilliant as the adults, if not more so when young Chuck receives a very haunting monologue from his grandfather (an unbelievable Mark Hamill) about certain choices in life. Act One really helps put the puzzle together that was Act Three, where the cosmic elements can be off-putting, but it all serves a purpose. Stephen King is right when he says The Life of Chuck is one of the good ones. The spirit and energy is felt from beginning to end, and with all on board performances giving their best, Flanagan is further establishing himself as one of contemporary's greater directors.

One thing I will say is The Life of Chuck is dedicated In Memory to Scott Wampler. And there are a few cameos in The Life of Chuck but Scott's inclusion just tugged me right at the heart. Great film.

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.

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.)