Over the weekend,Mike Flanaganand the rest of the cast and creative team for the upcoming film,The Life of Chuck, took their seats at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) and unveiled their vision before the world. Now, just a few days later, critics have taken toRotten Tomatoesto share their first reactions to the horror aficionado’s latest adaptation of a body of work byStephen King. Currently, the movie sits on the rating platform with 89% based on 18 reviews, with our expectation being that the number will only go higher from there. Collider’sJason Gorber, who was in attendance at the movie’s global debut, called the movie “simply a stunner” and “deeply heartfelt,” adding, “Dancing between the ruminative and the revelatory, it never succumbs to being maudlin or cloying.”
Over on Rotten Tomatoes, many agreed that themovie’s star-studded ensemblewas the glue that held it all together, showing their appreciation forfamiliar faces from the director’s past projectsmixed in with new-to-the-Flanafamily names. Most were in agreement that Flanagan was the perfect choice to pick up the torch and carry King’s short story from the pages to the screen, as the director also penned the screenplay and produced the film.
What Is ‘The Life of Chuck’ About?
While he may be known for his work as the visionary behind films likeHushand shows includingThe Haunting of Hill HouseandMidnight Mass,Flanagan has been very open and clearthatThe Life of Chuckwill not be a horror movie. What we know from the first roll-out of reviews is that the movie’s events will be told in reverse chronological order, and it will play more on the fears of existential dread rather than anything that goes bump in the night. Weaving in multiple characters, the movie will tell the story of a regular man’s life withTom Hiddleston(Loki) appearing in the titular role.
Filling out the impressive ensemble cast that we keep hearing about is a lineup that includesKate Siegel(Hush),Matthew Lillard(Scream),Mark Hamill(The Fall of the House of Usher),Karen Gillan(Gunpowder Milkshake),Chiwetel Ejiofor(Doctor Strange),Harvey Guillén(What We Do in the Shadows),Rahul Kohli(The Haunting of Bly Manor),David Dastmalchian(Late Night with the Devil),Samantha Sloyan(The Midnight Club) and more.
As of right now,The Life of Chuckhasn’t announced its wide release date but stay tuned to Collider for more information.
The Life of Chuck
This story, told in reverse order, begins with the death of Chuck at 39 and moves backward through his life, uncovering significant moments that shaped his existence. As the narrative unfolds, it explores themes of memory, fate, and the connections that define a person’s life.
