Despite its adaptation from a Stephen King novella and directed by Mike Flanagan, known for his horror flicks, The Life of Chuck is no horror film.
While it makes good use of supernatural elements and includes several unsettling moments, the overall presentation is one of optimism, a reflection on the human experience; in particular the impact one person has on the entire world.
We live and then we die.
Tired of USA summer blockbusters of prequels, sequels, and reboots often with abundant Computer Graphic Images (CGI)?
Fair enough, this one’s made in Alabama and you can’t miss it’s American origin with the name Chuck in the title and for its main character.
Here, then, lands a movie that will baffle for its playing with time, its compelling and magical storyline, and having every character in the movie likeable.
That’s not easily achieved.
Released by Neon, the uncustomary structure initially reminded of Guy Pearce in Memento (2000).
The story of Chuck is unravelled by means of reverse chronology.
Each act was a separate chapter from the other, yet coming together to make perfect sense by film’s end.
The internet fails, television experiences technical difficulties, mobile phones shut down, climate change unwinds any number of worldwide upheavals and destruction.
Carl Sagan’s time frame of how the universe began and humankind developed is compressed for understanding into a 24-hour metaphor.
Sagan’s theory is discussed among neighbours Marty Anderson (Chiwetel Ejiofor), Gus (Matthew Lillard), eventually with Marty’s ex-wife Felicia (Karen Gillian).
Chuck (Tom Hiddleston), nurtured by grandparents after a tragedy befell Mum and Dad, brought genuine depth to his character. “I will live my life until life runs out.”
Mark Hamill’s Albie, Chuck’s grandfather in a walrus moustache, is a touching role that will keep every audience member quiet as each hangs onto his every word.
Comfort, instruction, wisdom, and outbursts of anger about unlocking the house’s cupola make Albie not only memorable, but endearing.
He doesn’t need to play an old man.
Given his lead in Star Wars long ago in 1977, Mark Hamill has progressively aged.
Act two might be the most uplifting.
It’s filled with improvised dance, music provided by a busking drummer. Chuck dances initially and is joined with invitation by a woman who’s Ginger Rogers to his Fred Astaire.
Time shifts within act two and we meet 10-year-old Chuck (Benjamin Pajak), forbidden by Grandpa Albie to enter the house’s cupola as it’s a place of ghosts.
“Remember Scrooge? You might see a lot more than you want to,” warns Albie.
“It’s the waiting. That’s the hard part.”
Defying Albie’s warning Chuck is caught in the act.
But what we learn most about the young Chuck is his innate ability to dance and with a girl partner taller than him. He demonstrates new, for the time, moves and steps.
Dance sequences are nothing short of exhilarating, Benjamin Pajak putting on quite a show.
Challenging further with a mixing of time, we meet in act one the 15-year-old Chuck (Jacob Tremblay) who finally makes it into the cupola and discovers… sorry… spoiler.
A narrator links much of the action and fills in what happens between the scenes.
Personally, I find a narrator a cheat within a good picture, but this narrator’s voice soothes, informs, and works a treat.
As the film reaches its ideal conclusion, narrator included, it’s briefly summarised via visuals before disappearing like Albie’s foretold ghost.
