‘The Life of Chuck’ – Review
What does a life truly mean? What memories do we leave behind? And in the face of inevitable endings, what joys do we take with us? These are the haunting and heart-swelling questions that bubble at the core of The Life of Chuck, the breathtaking new adaptation of Stephen King’s novella that delivers a luminous, deeply emotional cinematic experience that will move you to tears, and then lift you with a profound sense of wonder.
From childhood to adulthood, Charles “Chuck” Krantz (Tom Hiddleston) experiences the wonder of love, the heartbreak of loss, and the multitudes contained in all of us.
Directed with immense grace and tenderness by Midnight Mass and The Haunting of Hill House maestro Mike Flanagan, The Life of Chuck may surprise fans expecting something darker from King’s pages. This is no horror flick. Instead, it’s a delicate, multifaceted mosaic, an existential dramedy told in reverse, that asks audiences to reckon with mortality not with fear, but with a celebration of memory, music, and meaning.
At the centre of it all is a quietly devastating, career-defining performance from Tom Hiddleston as Charles “Chuck” Krantz. We first meet Hiddleston as Chuck in the most odd, and peculiar of ways due to the film’s unique structure and framing, and it is not until the second act where he fully comes into form. But through three distinct and richly layered acts, Flanagan peels back time to reveal the fragments of Chuck’s life, from the pondering of middle-aged pondering to youthful exuberance to the bright-eyed innocence of childhood, and in doing so, presents a portrait of a man that is as complex as it is achingly relatable.
Hiddleston, long known for his theatrical gravitas and charisma, disappears into the role of Chuck with subtle elegance. There’s a rawness to his portrayal, especially in the film’s closing (or rather, opening) scenes, that speaks to every unsaid word, every lost opportunity, and every moment of joy quietly savoured. It’s the kind of performance that lingers with you long after the credits roll.
The culminative effect of Hiddleston’s presence is sparked in a wicked dance act, which is without a doubt the highlight of the film, and trust us when we say that Tom does indeed have the moves. As a performer, time and time again, Hiddleston has proven himself to be an adept artist, and as Chuck, he delivers his most human and complete performance to date. In Hiddleston, we see an effortless and radiant joy that comes to be shown on screen, and the highlight of the film is most definitely the groovy dance number where he absolutely cuts loose, and it’s utterly triumphant to behold.
But the magic of The Life of Chuck doesn’t end with Hiddleston. Jacob Tremblay delivers another knockout performance as teenage Chuck, bringing wide-eyed wonder and vulnerability to the role, and reminding us that every adult we pass once carried dreams too large for the sky. His segment of the film is one of its most touching, capturing the fragility of youth and the strange, magical melancholy of growing up. Watch for a mesmerising dance sequence under a dome of stars, it’s pure movie magic.
Then there’s Mark Hamill, stealing scenes and hearts as Albie Krantz, Chuck’s grandfather and spiritual anchor. With a twinkle in his eye and a deep, paternal warmth, Hamill is the soul of the film. As Chuck’s “zayde,” Albie is equal parts sage and soft place to land — a reminder that the most important lessons we ever learn come not from textbooks, but from the ones who love us the most.
Stylistically, The Life of Chuck is as audacious as it is intimate. Told in three chapters, each moving further back in time, Flanagan crafts a puzzle-box narrative that unfolds with poetic elegance. Some moments feel like a surreal daydream, others like a gut-punch of emotional truth. Cinematographer Eben Bolter bathes the screen in warm, honeyed tones, lending a dreamlike quality to even the most grounded scenes. And the score by The Newton Brothers? Soulful, melancholic, and utterly perfect.
But what truly elevates The Life of Chuck is its unwavering belief in the beauty of simply being alive. It’s not a film that shouts, it whispers. It invites you to slow down, to pay attention, to look back and ahead all at once. It’s a film about goodbyes, yes, but more than that, it’s a film about living a life that is authentically your own. It urges us to embrace the multitudes that make up our inner world, to forgive ourselves, to laugh more, and to love boldly. In a world obsessed with noise and spectacle, The Life of Chuck dares to be quiet. And in doing so, it sings.
Prepare yourself: this is a film that will make you cry, smile through tears, and maybe, just maybe, call someone you haven’t spoken to in too long. For those willing to surrender to its rhythm, The Life of Chuck is not just a film — it’s a gentle reminder of the miracle of being here at all. Don’t miss it.
Image: StudioCanal
