Chuck's Life It was a short novel first published in Stephen Kinggroup ““If it bleeds”And if there's one thing that stands out, it's the story that caught the eye of director Mike Flanagan. The story shares the best quality of King's work, tackling some heavy topics with a lot of heart. Now, Flanagan's adaptation of the novel premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 6.and got some strong reviews as a result.
Vanity Fair spoke to Flanagan and lead star Tom Hiddleston at the Toronto International Film Festival, and both believe the new adaptation is something special, but also something very different from the usual genre of films associated with one of the world’s greatest living writers. Given the cast’s comments on the film in the past few months (including Nightmare on Elm StreetIt's easy to believe them, as Hiddleston puts it:
Well, it is. [King] You've written something so delicate and wise. I think there's a great wisdom at the heart of the story, which is that it takes courage to hold on to what's good in a world that seems to be falling apart.
It is a story told in reverse chronological order. Not only does this make the film somewhat unconventional, but it also makes it a film that (if it follows the story in its entirety) will start out much darker than it might otherwise. Flanagan discusses this primal darkness, in particular, and how it relates to the world we live in now.
I've heard that every generation feels like the world is about to end at some point, [but] I still feel that it’s different for us. The institutions that we took for granted that supported our society are failing everywhere. Our politics have deteriorated spectacularly. The sense that politics is collapsing, that the world is moving forward, is increasingly palpable. When I talk to my parents or older generations who have been through turbulent times, what strikes me is that they say, “Oh yeah, this is really bad.”
Chuck's Life Could Be King's New Masterpiece
Chuck's Life This marks a departure for Flanagan, albeit a minor one. He has directed fan-favorite adaptations such as Gerald's Game and Dr. SleepBut this is his first adaptation of the King's story that is largely devoid of horror. Chuck's Life It marks the end of a person's life, but it is not an event used to arouse fear. On the contrary, it is an event that allows that individual to evaluate what made his life so special.
Flanagan claimed that King himself doubted that the story would be made into a movie. But despite the author’s skepticism, King himself has described the film as a “happiness machine.” While most critics have agreed so far, it remains to be seen when fans will be able to see the film for themselves, as Chuck's Life It still doesn't have a specific release date.
