'The Life of Chuck' Review: Mike Flanagan Trades Horror for Whimsy in Stephen King Adaptation
- Jack Ransom
- Aug 26
- 3 min read
By Jack Ransom - August 26, 2025
The latest Stephen King adaptation arrives on the big screen and acclaimed director Mike Flanagan’s most recent offering. The Life of Chuck tells a life-affirming, genre-bending story about three chapters in the life of an ordinary man named Charles Krantz, played by Tom Hiddleston, Jacob Tremblay and Benjamin Pajak.
To say I was excited is an understatement, as Mike Flanagan has been behind some of my favourite horror material of the past five years (The Haunting of Hill House and Doctor Sleep) and has fierce passion for King’s work. Gerald’s Game in 2019 was excellent, and he is currently on post-production on a Carrie TV series which will be released next year. As well as his horror tales, King’s drama and thriller stories have been some of my favourites (The Shawshank Redemption, Misery and Stand by Me), so my hope for The Life of Chuck was high.
Does Mike Flanagan Deliver Another Successful Stephen King Adaptation?
This is certainly a film that I would like to revisit again down the road, as there were ideas, sequences and an atmosphere on display here that I absolutely loved; bleeding passion, charm, wonder and wholesomeness, yet from an emotional standpoint it didn’t hit me hard enough to illicit a strong reaction. Don’t get me wrong, I am a sucker for a whimsical/heart string puller, but I think this hindrance for me is to do with slightly disjointed feeling three-chapter structure, which does feel a tad imbalanced in terms of which ‘stage’ of Chuck gets the most focus.
What Atmosphere and Style Does The Life of Chuck Create?
Where the film excels is through its atmosphere. The blending of fantastical, heightened reality and everyday life is absolutely nailed here. The film meddles with time and plays out in reverse order of Chuck’s life. The opening act (which is act three) sets the tone with a lingering sense of hopelessness, subtle fear and overwhelming melancholy with its existential end times and increasing tributes to Chuck. Act two is a joyful extended dance routine, before Act one delves into Chuck’s childhood, school life and the mysterious locked cupola at the top of his grandparents’ house. All three chapters are a melting pot of familiar King themes (tinge of cosmic horror and the unknown, small-town folk, creativity vs. reality, alcoholism…) that mostly come together effectively.
Stylistically the film has a distinct blend of looks for each Act. From the starry, otherworldly growing darkness and neon-tinged Chuck tributes of Act one, which features some gorgeous cinematography, to Act two’s vibrant, spacious, bustling streets and energetic dance routine camerawork, to the nostalgic, cosy, yet shadowy almost dreamlike glimpse into Chuck’s youth. The final shot is also a haunting memorable stamp to leave on.
Despite being the focal point of the marketing, Tom Hiddleston has the smallest amount of dialogue for Chuck. Instead, he commits with an excellent dance routine and a smattering of quieter lines. Benjamin Pajak captures the character’s youthful quest for knowledge and Jacob Tremblay his mature inquisitiveness. The ensemble support absolutely shines, with plenty of familiar faces: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Karen Gillan, Mark Hamill and Matthew Lillard. As well as recurring Flanagan team members: Carl Lumbly, Rahul Kohli, Kate Siegel & Samantha Sloyan. Lastly, Nick Offerman’s quirky tones provide narration and context through the film.
Is the film The Life of Chuck worth watching?
The Life of Chuck is a refreshing change of genre for Flanagan, and you can certainly tell he put his heart and soul into the material. The atmosphere and tone are perfect, the cast are excellent, and it feels refreshingly simplistic and nostalgic in its storytelling. It just didn’t fully hit me emotionally and the structure can feel a little choppy at first and the slow-burn pacing is felt at times. Will certainly be intrigued for a rewatch when it releases on disc.
'The Life of Chuck' is out now in UK cinemas.
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