The Life of Chuck (2025)

Chris Sawin June 6, 2025

★ 8/10

The sci-fi drama The Life of Chuck is based on a Stephen King short novella of the same name, which is included in the 2020 story collection called If It Bleeds. The screenplay and film are written and directed by Mike Flanagan (Gerald’s Game, Doctor Sleep). The film is broken down into three acts told in reverse chronological order. Despite being based on a Stephen King story, this is not a horror film and is drama more in line with films like The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile. In the not-too-distant future, the world is crumbling. The internet is down for good, California has dissolved into the sea, cell phones have stopped working altogether, massive sinkholes cause impossible traffic nightmares, and stars begin disappearing out of the night sky. The one constant is that a man named Charles Krantz (Tom Hiddleston) is being thanked nonstop through bizarre marketing li…

Brent Marchant June 8, 2025

★ 6/10

It’s incredibly frustrating to watch a film that has so much potential but ultimately fails to capitalize on it. Such is the case with one of the most heavily anticipated offerings of the summer movie season, “The Life of Chuck, from writer-director Mike Flanagan, based on the short story of the same name from author Steven King. Told in three acts in reverse chronological order, the picture follows the life of Charles “Chuck” Krantz (Tom Hiddleston) and how his adult self emerged from a childhood of mixed experiences under the care of his paternal grandparents (Mark Hamill, Mia Sara). It focuses on how an inquisitive preteen (Jacob Tremblay) with a love of and gift for dance ultimately (and largely inexplicably) settled for a mediocre life as an accountant instead, one whose existence was sadly cut short in his prime and subsequently provided the basis for soul-searching and int…

Chandler Danier July 31, 2025

★ 6/10

This movie is cute, sweet and warm. There is also a mid-run dance and musical number. I liked this better before we knew Chuck. Not that Chuck is a bad guy. I just liked it better. I wanted something funny. This is smiley. I didn't want something so lacking in any excitement beyond its shiny exterior. It looks good. It seems good. Whatever.

Hossein August 14, 2025

★ 8/10

I began watching this movie, expecting it to be about what it’s like to live in an offline world. I didn’t even know that this movie is a Stephen King adaptation. I usually detest films with too much symbolism, but this one kept me hooked, so I watched it to the end. Different from what I expected but great nonetheless. Makes you think.

CinemaSerf August 31, 2025

★ 7/10

Though Tom Hiddleston takes top billing, the film really belongs to his younger iteration from Benjamin Pajak. Both (and Jacob Tremblay) play “Chuck” at various stages of his life as it retrospectively interweaves the lives of others in their small community. We start at the end, sort of thing, with the Earth of teacher “Marty” (Chiwitel Ejiofor) facing an apocalyptic end surrounded by posters of a “Chuck” whom nobody knows. He is constantly being thanked on television, radio and on billboards galore - but who is he? Well, skip back in time and we meet the younger man (Pajak) who has suffered a family tragedy and is now living with his grandparents. They are all reeling from this event, but gradually his grandma (Mia Sara) imbues her grandson with her love of dancing whilst grandad (Mark Hamill) takes solace in a bottle. He’s never a violent man, indeed but for a securely l…

CinemaSerf August 31, 2025

★ 7/10

Though Tom Hiddleston takes top billing, the film really belongs to his younger iteration from Benjamin Pajak. Both (and Jacob Tremblay) play “Chuck” at various stages of his life as it interweaves the lives of others in their small community. We start at the end, sort of thing, with the world of teacher “Marty” (Chiwitel Ejiofor) facing an apocalyptic end surrounded by posters of a “Chuck” whom nobody knows. He is constantly being thanked on television, radio and on billboards galore - bit who is he? Well, skip back in time, we meet the younger man (Pajak) who has suffered a family tragedy and is now living with his grandparents. They are all reeling from this event, but gradually his grandma (Mia Sara) imbues her grandson with her love of dancing whilst granddad (Mark Hamill) takes solace in a bottle. He’s never a violent man, indeed but for a securely locked door to the …