Displaying items by tag: The Life of Churk movie

THE LIFE OF CHUCK

US, 2024, 111 minutes, Colour.

Tom Hiddleston, Jacob Tremblay, Benjamin Pajak, Chiwitel Ejiofor, Karen Gillan, Mia Sara, Carl Lumbley, Mark Hamill, David Dastmalchian, Q’Orianker Kilcher, Matthew Lillard, Taylor Franck.

Directed by Mike Flanagan.

Chuck is a very popular name, especially in the US, amiable, ordinary, your next door neighbour… So, we can expect that the life of Chuck would be nice, amiable. And, in many ways it is. But, in the eyes of America’s most prolific writer, Stephen King, always considered a master of horror stories, it could be anybody, or Anybody. Which means that Chuck is being set up as an Everyman Figure. Chuck, or a variation on him could be any of us, men or women.

Stephen King published this short story in 2020 – the initial year of the pandemic.

Writer-director, Mike Flanagan (who directed film versions of King’s Gerald’s Game, Doctor Sleep, and the fascinating Catholic-themed miniseries, Midnight Mass) has adapted the story in ways audiences who have not read the story, would be surprised. (For any audiences who intend to see Life of Chuck and knows nothing about it, best to stop here and read reviews after your own experience.)

In fact, the film tells its story in reverse, three acts. Act three starts ordinarily enough, at school, a sympathetic teacher played by Chiwitel Ejiofor. But, very soon we move into a kind of apocalyptic, end of the world scenario, news of disasters like California North lapsing into the sea, but highlighted in a suburban kind of way by the loss of Wi-Fi, interruptions to television programs, the electricity going out, sinkholes in the streets, cars abandoned, forlorn people walking home alone. All this is really alarming, but quietly communicated, especially by conversations of hapless people facing a diminishing future.

However, suddenly lit up in all the windows of houses and buildings, images of Chuck, messages of thanks for his 39 years. So, where is Stephen King going from here?

Act two steps back in time, and we meet Chuck, quiet-mannered, well dressed in his suit, an accountant at a conference, and played by Tom Hiddleston (whom many remember as Loki). In fact, this is a brief sequence in the narrative that makes an extraordinary impact: dancing in the street. A young drummer sets up her instruments in the town square, Chuck walks along, stops, looks, listens to the beat and one of the most joyous intense sequences on film follows. And Chuck is joined by a disappointed young woman whose boyfriend has suddenly cut her off. A growing crowd shares this increasing joy.

Many directors have used the theme of the Dance of Life – and this is a wonderful example.

The theme of the end of the world is put on the back burner as we go back to Chuck’s childhood, accidental death of his parents and unborn sister, cared for by his grandparents, a charmingly dancing Mia Sara, a wonderful portrait of a crabby old man, a monologue which will be valued by anybody devoted to mathematics, and played by Luke Skywalker, Mark Hamill, almost 50 years since Star Wars.

The young Chuck, a wonderful experience with the lively performance by Benjamin Pajak, grieves, listens to his grandfather, shares some mysterious ghostly experiences, but, it is revealed, at school is where he learned to dance – and a kind of prom night dance sequence which again is exhilarating.

So, who is Chuck? Could be any of us. And while he is a white American male, there is a wide range of multi--ethnic characters for multicultural experiences including the African-American drummer. And, what is Chuck’s life telling us – a quotation from Walt Whitman’s Song Of Myself he heard at school, “I contain multitudes”. So, for Every Man and Every Woman, there can be an extraordinary vitality of life. And, a realisation that life comes to an end, as the world will come to an end (in a realism aspect of this tale telling or in Chuck’s inner consciousness?).

Generally audiences have appreciated The Life of Chuck, a number of critics dismissing its sentiment and what they see as superficial observations. But, most will find the opening sequence arresting, arousing curiosity, and, as the film goes on, especially with the exuberance and dances of life, the possibilities for deeper life reflections.

1. The title, expectations, Chuck as an ordinary name? Anybody? Leading to an Everyman character?
2. The perspectives of Stephen King, his career, human nature, end of the world? The quote from Walt Whitman, I contain multitudes?
3. The structure of the film, in reverse? The impact of the end of the world, humans facing the end of the world, the signs of thanks for Chuck? His death?
4. The atmosphere of Act three, the introduction to Marty, his work at the school, students, the news of disasters, California, around the world, his talking with the parents, urging the children to school? Loss of Wi-Fi? Reading and writing? Marty at home, watching the television, communication with Felicia, their marriage, her work at the hospital, the doctor and the suicides, people deciding to go home to be with family? The long conversation with Gus and his aspirations? The conversation with Sam, reminiscing, his being revealed as working with Chuck and Albie? The many people walking home, alone, dropping their bags? The sinkhole, Marty in the car, cars parked? The contact with Felicia, wanting to be together, their love, the end of the world?
5. The signs in the window, images of Chuck, messages of thanks, 39 years? The glimpse of him, his wife and son, his death?
6. Act two, the explanation of Chuck, accountant, well-dressed, at the accountants’ meeting, walking along the street, Taylor, with her manager, the drums and her busking, looking at Chuck, his looking at her, the beat, the beginning of the dance, the extensive and varied choreography, the exhilaration for Chuck, the story of Janice, walking along the road, bitter, her boyfriend cutting off, invited to dance, her exuberant response, Taylor and her excitement, the crowds gathering, sharing the joy and rhythms, the money, it is one giving the gift to Janice and to Chuck, then not continuing, the dance of life?
7. Act one, Chuck and his story, the accident on the ice, death of his parents, the unborn sister? Living with his grandparents? The grief? His grandmother, coming alive, the dancing, urging Chuck to dance? Albie, grief, the accountant, drinking, the locked room upstairs and his attack on Chuck? Apology? The long discourse about mathematics and its explaining everything, rationally and accurately? Urging Chuck ac to be an accountant?
8. Chuck at school, short, some bullies, the encounter with Cal, the poetry teacher, the students not interested, the quotation from Walt Whitman, his song, I contain multitudes? Its meaning? The teacher’s response? The dance teacher, the lineup, her urging, the music, the range of songs and dances, illustrated (and the clip from Gene Kelly and Rita Hayworth in Cover Girl)? Chuck and his dancing skills, with Cal? Dressing up for the school evening, the teachers present, Marty and Felicia, Chuck and his reluctance, his sore leg, the teacher challenging him, going outside, his return, and the exhilaration of the dancing, the jealous boy? And the story of the scar on his hand, blaming the boy, actually jaggling it on the wire?
9. Albie, going to the cupola, the ghosts and deaths, his heart attack? The funeral? The Jewish background?
10. The older Chuck, discussions with Sam, his prospects, and going to the cupola, unlocking it, the contemplation? The end?
11. Audience popularity, critics attacking the film, sentiment, superficial philosophising? Audiences caught up in the story, the personalities, reflections?