The Life of Chuck
Survivors of recent natural disasters and individuals who get particularly stressed out by current events would be wise to approach The Life of Chuck with caution.
Though a rewarding, life-affirming experience awaits, Mike Flanagan’s adaptation of Stephen King’s titular novella gets off to a little too real of a start. Centering on schoolteacher Marty (Chiwetel Ejiofor, in a rare non-embarrassing role) and his nurse ex-wife Felicia (Karen Gillan, Guardians of the Galaxy), the writer/director presents a world in political and environmental turmoil, with small-town life eroding as well.
For PTSD-suffering viewers who don’t exactly want to hear about sudden food supply issues, watch people unable to communicate remotely or forced to walk great distances and generally live under a cloud of hopelessness, some deep breathing and “it’s just a movie” reminders may be in order. Yet for Marty, Felicia, and a few other characters — and, somewhat vicariously, us — there’s a strange glimmer of almost sarcastic positivity at the numerous TV, radio, and outdoor ads touting the apparent retirement of one Charles “Chuck” Krantz (Tom Hiddleston), who seems far too young to have worked the 39 years that these announcements claim.
While this whole bizarre situation comes to a head in fairly terrifying and typical King/Flanagan style — this ain’t the director’s first time adapting the legendary horror author — once a hint of the actual big picture becomes evident, the tension gratefully subsides and is replaced by a bit of puzzle solving.
Likely aware of the trauma he’s just put us through, Flanagan responds with a necessary palate cleanser as Chuck unexpectedly gets to show off his dance prowess while taking a break from a work conference. This brief, joyful middle chapter sheds a little more light on the previous act, but it’s primarily a fun prelude to exploring the layered origin story of his skilled moves.
In this blast to the past final section, Benjamin Pajak’s delightful take on middle school Chuck ably balances heartache with genuine passion and richly illustrates how our hero became the man we know and love. Along with featuring a few stock players from his Netflix limited series, Flanagan gives a game Mark Hamill a rare grounded part as Chuck’s curmudgeonly grandfather, and also loops in a pair of rarely-seen ’80s queens, Mia Sara (Ferris Bueller's Day Off) and Heather Langenkamp (A Nightmare on Elm Street), in small roles.
By then, such thoughtfulness has been evident in The Life of Chuck for a while, yet the film’s parting message of optimism and humanity still has the power to get one’s tear ducts working. After the cinematic and real-life tensions that have preceded it, a well-earned release is welcome indeed.
Grade: B-plus. Rated R. Now playing at Carolina Cinemark and Regal Biltmore Grande.
(Photo: Neon)
