“Chuck's Life,” a cheerful apocalyptic tale starring Tom Hiddleston and directed by Mike Flanagan, won the People's Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival.
The award has historically been a reliable indicator of eventual Oscar success. In past years, winners like “Green Book” and “Nomadland” have taken home Best Picture at the Oscars. Last year’s award went to Cord Jefferson’s “American Fiction” and 2022’s went to Steven Spielberg’s “The Fabelmans,” both best picture nominees and major awards season forces.
It's unclear whether that will be the case this year, though “Chuck's Life” has received largely positive reviews. Varieties Siddhant Adlakha praised the film's “wild tonal shifts between horror and naked sentimentality that work with surprising precision, along with a series of enjoyable supporting characters played by Flanagan's regular stars, and a general refusal to be cynical even in the face of despair.”
Adapted from Stephen King’s 2020 novella of the same name, “The Life of Chuck” tells the “life-affirming” story of an ordinary man named Charles Krantz. The film is divided into three distinct chapters that unfold in reverse chronological order and is set against the backdrop of a world that seems to be slowly falling apart. “The Life of Chuck” stars Mark Hamill, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Karen Gillan, and Jacob Tremblay, and has drawn comparisons to King adaptations like “The Shawshank Redemption” and “Stand By Me” rather than “It” or “Pet Sematary.” The film is still seeking distribution.
At this year's festival, the second place in the audience award went to the musical crime drama “Emilia Perez” by Jacques Audiard, starring Zoe Saldana, Carla Sofia Gascón and Selena Gomez, while the second place went to “Anora” by Sean Baker.
The festival's Midnight Madness Audience Award went to Demi Moore's horror thriller “The Substance,” and the documentary award went to “The Tragically Hip: No Dress Rehearsal.” All films in the Toronto International Film Festival's Official Selection are eligible for the Audience Choice Award, which is voted on by the public.
