By Randal C. Hill
Based on a novella from Stephen King’s 2020 book “If It Bleeds,” there’s a touch of the ironic and the supernatural in “The Life of Chuck.” There’s also no denying a “Twilight Zone” vibe that thrums throughout the two-hour tale.
“Chuck” follows a traditional three-act structure, but the tale from King-fan director Mike Flanagan (“Gerald’s Game,” “Doctor Sleep”) unfolds backward, with three boys playing younger versions of the titular character. Surprisingly, Flanagan’s approach works perfectly, as each vignette is improved by the presence of the one before it.
In King’s story, Earth is taking its final gasping breaths, as each passing day brings more tragedies, more heartbreak and more discouragement.
The only constant thread here is a mysterious retirement notice that keeps appearing from a local bank, thanking Charles “Chuck” Krantz (English actor Tom Hiddleston: “Loki,” “Midnight in Paris”) for “39 wonderful years.” The peculiar proclamation appears on billboards, television and radio, and the message becomes more ubiquitous with each passing 24 hours.
Following the story, we see how Chuck lived his life, from his work as an accountant to his childhood spent with his doting grandparents (Mark Hamill, Heather Langenkamp).
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“The Life of Chuck” celebrates beauty and the elements of fabric woven into everyone’s life; a collection of memories that gain meaning in hindsight. What is ordinary becomes extraordinary as Chuck’s story celebrates connections with loved ones, the taste of favorite foods, impromptu dancing, and other small, simple joys that define our existence.
“The universe is large, and it contains multitudes,” proclaims Chuck, “but it also contains…ME.”
The story, in all its heart-warming (if slightly muddled) glory, is the cinematic equivalent of a big bear hug, something we could all use right now.
The Neon Pictures release opens June 6.
