THE LIFE OF CHUCK – Review by T.J. Callahan
The Life of Chuck: 39 Great Years
Chuck Krantz is the Oz of the Apocalypse. The last meme. Larger than environmental degradation. His face is on billboards, in windows, on television…thanking him for 39 years of service. For what? No one seems to know Chuck or why his likeness is everywhere. But just as his time is up, so is the world’s. Armageddon is near. Or is it just the Twilight Zone?
The Life of Chuck is described as a gender-bending story about three chapters in the life of an ordinary man…told in reverse. The film begins with the death of Chuck and ends with his childhood in a supposedly haunted house.
Based on a short story from Stephen King, The Life of Chuck is written and directed for the screen by Mike Flanagan, who is known for his horror films more than sci-fi/fantasy. King fans, don’t worry. Flanagan doesn’t lose any of the nuances we love King for. He keeps the author’s voice. There’s plenty of heart and sentiment along with the tough questions about the environment and human’s overall wellbeing all wrapped around the life of one man.
Tom Huddleston is grown up Chuck. Jacob Tremblay and the charming Benjamin Pajak are the young Chucks. The stellar cast also includes Chiwetel Ejiofor, Carl Lumbly and the almost unrecognizable Mia Sara and Mark Hamill as Bubbe and Zaydie. Nick Offerman narrates.
While The Life of Chuck doesn’t answer all the questions it presents, it’s still a refreshing, good old fashioned equation of love that encourages us to dance and not be afraid of math. My husband Ricky had 1 ¾ 👀s open. He felt it was a bit slow. The TeejFlixometer rose to a solid 7.
