Yet another year at the Toronto International Film Festival has come to an end, which showcased a myriad of promising hopefuls for the ensuing awards season (of course, with the usual mix of duds), and with this comes the announcement of the winner of the People’s Choice Award, which carries its own implications for the Academy Awards. This time, it has been bestowed upon the science fiction drama The Life of Chuck, written and directed by Mike Flanagan, which is an adaptation of the Stephen King novella of the same name.
The Life of Chuck is an eye-catching entry in works of both King and Flanagan, as both are predominantly known for their contributions in the horror genre. However, King is a famously prolific writer and has produced numerous works that range from drama to science fiction and fantasy, such as The Green Mile, Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption, Under the Dome, The Running Man, and The Dark Tower series, all of which have screen adaptations. In fact, King is one of the most adapted authors of all time – ranking amongst the likes of Agatha Christie and William Shakespeare – and Flanagan’s last three movies have all been adaptations of King, beginning with 2017’s Gerald’s Game, followed by 2019’s Doctor Sleep (which is a sequel to The Shining), and now The Life of Chuck.
This is hardly surprising, given that Flanagan’s reverence for King was apparent in his filmmaking and storytelling prior to ever adapting the vaunted author, as he has five TV shows and seven films under his belt, all of which have been in the horror genre. In the process, Flanagan drew significant praise and established himself one of the most important horror filmmakers of his generation, with King himself even having praised him in the past.
Although The Life of Chuck is Flanagan’s first foray outside of the horror genre, King has been particularly effusive in his praise for the latest adaptation of his extensive bibliography, calling it “one of the good ones” and “A happiness machine”, the latter of which I am sure is a description few, if any, ever expected to hear of a work from King or Flanagan. Such a description also seemingly conflicts with the film’s narrative, at least on paper, which deals with our world on the verge of apocalyptic collapse. However, somewhat like Christopher Nolan’s masterpiece Memento, the story is told in reverse, and further light is shed on the mysterious title character Chuck (Tom Hiddleston) over time, moving from Act Three to Act One, each depicting a different stage in his life and slowly revealing his purpose in the grander scheme of this world-ending narrative.
The Life of Chuck winning TIFF’s People’s Choice Award is significant because, while it is voted on by the public, it is a surprisingly accurate predictor of a film’s chances at Oscar recognition, as every winner since 2012 has at least garnered nominations in the Best Picture and Best Screenplay categories. While it remains to be seen if Flanagan’s latest endeavour can maintain this trend, it does at least bode well for The Life of Chuck’s box office prospects, as it is clear that this picture has profoundly resonated with audiences, even if the critics have been more reserved in their praise.