Review: The Life of Chuck

Score: A

Director: Mike Flanagan

Cast: Tom Hiddleston, Mark Hamill, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Annalise Basso

Running Time: 110 Minutes

Rated: R

It's very easy to be cynical these days, looking at both at the state of cinema and the state of the world. But every so often a movie tears down your defenses and opens up your heart. The Life of Chuck is the best movie released so far this year. It's a simple yet profound dramedy about the little moments that add up to something meaningful.

Though Mike Flanagan and Stephen King are both known for providing scares – and occasionally turning stomachs – this story is just as memorable as their best works, though kinder and gentler by choice. In three distinct acts told in reverse, Chuck goes from complete unknown to folk hero.

No one knows Chuck at all in the first vignette, despite his visage appearing everywhere. Messages congratulating this average looking dude on "39 Great Years!" inundate the town, even as sinkholes and power outages threaten to destroy it. To say more would ruin the many surprises the film has in store. But it eventually becomes clear Chuck has had an impact on everyone, even if they don't realize it right away.

In "Buskers Forever," Chuck forms an unlikely, unspoken connection with a drummer, and together they dazzle dozens of passersby. This high-energy segment is bound to leave you with a smile on your face, even after the film takes a more serious turn in its third act. A big dance number may seem out of place after venturing into some light sci-fi. It might even seem like a flimsy premise to hinge your movie on. But it absolutely works.

The film's final – and longest – section follows Chuck as a boy. Recently orphaned, he goes to live with his grandparents (Mark Hamill and Mia Sara). Though they're all quieted by grief, they eventually find their spark again. That spark comes and goes as tragedy seems to be lurking around every corner, pushing Chuck to seek oases of joy wherever he can. Torn in a classic case of pursuing artistry vs. stability, this film shows there's room for both.

Though the effect of this structure can be discombobulating, taken as a whole these pieces form a truly beautiful and frankly inspiring story. Some may find its sincerity corny, but Flanagan is such a strong filmmaker and his cast so uniformly excellent that all of its emotional moments feel completely earned.

The Life of Chuck is a movie to be embraced, shared, and revisited. See it with someone you love.

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About Kip Mooney

Like many film critics born during and after the 1980s, my hero is Roger Ebert. The man was already the best critic in the nation when he won the Pulitzer in 1975, but his indomitable spirit during and after his recent battle with cancer keeps me coming back to read not only his reviews but his insightful commentary on the everyday. But enough about a guy you know a lot about. I knew I was going to be a film critic—some would say a snob—in middle school, when I had to voraciously defend my position that The Royal Tenenbaums was only a million times better than Adam Sandler’s remake of Mr. Deeds. From then on, I would seek out Wes Anderson’s films and avoid Sandler’s like the plague. Still, I like to think of myself as a populist, and I’ll be just as likely to see the next superhero movie as the next Sundance sensation. The thing I most deplore in a movie is laziness. I’d much rather see movies with big ambitions try and fail than movies with no ambitions succeed at simply existing. I’m also a big advocate of fun-bad movies like The Room and most of Nicolas Cage’s work. In the past, I’ve written for The Dallas Morning News and the North Texas Daily, which I edited for a semester. I also contributed to Dallas-based Pegasus News, which in the circle of life, is now part of The Dallas Morning News, where I got my big break in 2007. Eventually, I’d love to write and talk about film full-time, but until that’s a viable career option, I work as an auditor for Wells Fargo. I hope to one day meet my hero, go to the Toronto International Film Festival, and compete on Jeopardy. Until then, I’m excited to share my love of film with you.