A “wonderful” drama film directed by Mike Flanagan is coming to Netflix in the UK and Ireland. Starring Tom Hiddleston and Karen Gillan, The Life of Chuck follows the formative milestones in the life of Charles “Chuck” Krantz (Hiddleston) in reverse chronological order, from his death – coinciding with the end of the universe – to his childhood.
The star-studded cast also includes Mark Hamill, Jacob Tremblay, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Matthew Lillard, and frequent Flanagan collaborators Kate Siegel, Rahul Kohli, Carla Gugino, Samantha Sloyan, Matt Biedel, Carl Lumbly, Violet McGraw, Sauriyan Sapkota, Annalise Basso, and Michael Trucco.
The film, based on the Stephen King novella of the same name, had its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival last year, where it won the People’s Choice Award and proved a hit among critics.
This success continued when The Life of Chuck received a theatrical release, and now those ready for a rewatch or excited to dive in for the first time can do just that when the film comes to Netflix on January 5.
The Life of Chuck holds an 80% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with the critics’ consensus reading: “Showing a sweeter side of director Mike Flanagan’s deeply-felt emotional register, The Life of Chuck is a buoyant and often wonderful adaptation of one of Stephen King’s more cosmically optimistic tales.”
Studio Canal
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In their review, Sight and Sound wrote: “It is more a redemptive fantasy, straining to find rueful acceptance of life’s losses in the language of the cosmic sublime. It is not ashamed of displaying grand emotions and wants the viewer to give into these too.”
Awards Radar said: “The Life of Chuck is a masterpiece, plain and simple.” While film critic Mark Kermode said it was “a musing film and an amusing film, but it’s also beautifully poignant and profound”.
Empire added: “Part end-of-the-world drama, part musical, part coming-of-age ghost story, The Life Of Chuck won’t please everyone. But, if you open yourself to its brazen sincerity, you might just shed a life-affirming tear or two.”
StudioCanal
Heaping praise on Flanagan, Vulture said: “The film’s driving ideas, which transform over the course of the picture, are replete with ironic potential, but Flanagan ably navigates the tonal minefield, never presenting the whole thing as a wink-wink joke on his characters.”
Flanagan won’t be far from our screens in the future, with the acclaimed horror director set to helm adaptations of another King novel, Carrie, as well as his own take on The Exorcist.
Carrie will be coming to our screens as a TV series for Amazon Prime Video, with Summer H. Howell as the titular teenager with telekinetic powers. Matthew Lillard, Amber Midthunder, and Samantha Sloyan will also star in the series.
The Exorcist, meanwhile, has Scarlett Johansson attached to the project, which follows David Gordon Green’s ill-fated The Exorcist: Believer, released in 2023.
The Life of Chuck comes to Netflix on January 5.
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Freelance Reporter, Digital Spy
Rebecca is a freelance journalist who specializes in TV and film. After beginning her career as a digital entertainment journalist for the Express & Star and Shropshire Star, she embarked on a freelance career in 2021 contributing to the likes of Metro UK, The Sun, WhatCulture, Screen Rant, FilmHounds Magazine and more.
Her particular field of interest is horror cinema and she has written for genre publications such as Ghouls Magazine and Moving Pictures Film Club.
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