Stephen King Shares His Thoughts on Mike Flanagan's THE LIFE OF CHUCK – "I Love That Movie" — GeekTyrant

Geek Tyrant

2 days ago

With a wave of upcoming Stephen King adaptations headed our way, The Long Walk , The Running Man , and more, it's easy to focus on the familiar, the terrifying, the classic King. But right around the corner is a quieter release that's already made a powerful impression on the master of horror himself.
The Life of Chuck , based on King's 2020 novella and hitting theaters next week, is not your typical King fare. This isn't horror. It's not about haunted hotels or killer clowns. It's about life… fleeting, beautiful, and strange.
Directed and adapted by Mike Flanagan, who previously brought us Doctor Sleep , Gerald's Game , and The Haunting of Hill House , this film marks a shift into something more tender, more reflective, and, if you ask King, something truly special.
King recently opened up about the Tom Hiddleston-led film, and this is what he said:
'It's a wonderful movie. I don't know if it will do any business or not. I don't know if people are in the mood for that sort of warm-hearted thing.
'It's not what I would call syrupy and sentimental because it does have an acknowledgment that life can be very, very difficult. But Hiddleston did a great job as Chuck. I love that movie.'
A 'wonderful movie.' A 'warm-hearted thing.' From the guy who gave us Pet Sematary and The Shining , and that's an emotional endorsement.
The story structure of The Life of Chuck is unconventional. It's told in reverse starting with Chuck's death from a brain tumor at 39, then moving backward through three linked vignettes that paint a portrait of a life lived, lost, and remembered.
The result is something intimate and surreal, an 'apocalyptic version of It's a Wonderful Life,' as it's been described.
As for Flanagan, King has nothing but respect for the guy. Over the past few years, Flanagan has carved out a niche for adapting King in ways that feel deeply personal and cinematic. With The Life of Chuck , he's traded in horror for grace, and according to King, it's great!
The cast also includes Mark Hamill, David Dastmalchian, Chiwetel Ejiofor ( Doctor Strange ), and Jacob Tremblay ( Doctor Sleep ), as well as Mia Sara, Trinity Bliss, Harvey Guillen, Rahul Kohli, and Heather Langenkamp.
Chiwetel Ejiofor ( 12 Years a Slave ), a school teacher trying to apply logic to the planet's troubles; Karen Gillan ( Guardians of the Galaxy ) is his ex, a hospital worker determined to save everyone she can; Matthew Lillard ( Scream ) is a construction worker neighbor who finds zen amid the chaos; and Carl Lumbly ( Alias ), plays a funeral director who has dedicated his life to easing people through death.
As King put it, the film is 'a happiness machine.' And honestly? We could all probably use one of those right now.