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Why you must watch The Life of Chuck with Tom Hiddleston
With The Life of Chuck, his eighth feature film as a director, Mike Flanagan moves away from traditional horror tropes to deliver a luminous and deeply moving work that questions the nature of our existence. Adapted from a short story written by Stephen King and published in 2020, this intimate epic story is built around a bold screenplay and a nuanced performance by British actor Tom Hiddleston. Here’s our review of the film release on Wednesday 11 of June, 2025.
From the very first minutes, Mike Flanagan’s new film hits hard. The city of Los Angeles is collapsing, birds are falling from the sky. The internet is down, and an eerie message flashes across all screens: “39 Great Years. Thanks, Chuck.” As the world seems to be ending, the whole city tries to uncover the identity of this mysterious Chuck whose face suddenly appears on every billboard…
The Life of Chuck, Mike Flanagan’s moving new film
However, instead of making this mystery the center of his new film, Mike Flanagan (The Haunting of Hill House) opts for a reverse narrative. Inspired by Stephen King’s 2020 short story If It Bleeds, the film unfolds in three acts to tell the story of an ordinary man. Charles Krantz, a shy, discreet, and deeply human accountant – a protagonist brilliantly portrayed by the gifted British actor Tom Hiddleston.
Well-known for his haunted tales (Doctor Sleep, Gerald’s Game, Midnight Mass), the director turns a minimalistic story into an emotional, bittersweet odyssey here. The fantastic is close, yet never fully grasped. Indeed, ghosts are part of The Life of Chuck, but they are only ghosts of the past, of childhood, of lost love, and drifting memories.
Tom Hiddleston, the beating heart of an unclassifiable feature film
Aside from its unusual structure, what’s striking in The Life of Chuck is its ability to touch the audience without relying on theatrics. Mike Flanagan resists the urge to make a spectacle out of it, and instead focuses on the quiet power of gestures, glances, and silences.
Actor Tom Hiddleston (Loki, Thor) plays the role Charles as a grown-up man, alongside young actor Benjamin Pajak, the film’s revelation, and Jacob Tremblay, previously seen in the film Wonder in 2017. As for the rest of the cast, it spans generations with remarkable coherence. Together, they capture the nuances of a character who, although not exceptional, becomes unforgettable.
A film that embraces human contradictions
Among the film’s most memorable moments is a street dance sequence to a wild drum solo – one of the film’s most delightful surprises. As a celebration of life, the body, and the present moment, it perfectly encapsulates the elegance of this intimate journey.
Indeed, in several instances, The Life of Chuck unfolds a visual poetry grounded in masterful dialogues, consistent with Mike Flanagan’s previous works. While the director draws his inspiration from Stephen King’s prose, he eventually transcends it to deliver a vibrant interpretation of the original short story.
The film also evokes American poet Walt Whitman and his famous line: “I am large, I contain multitudes.” And perhaps this is the film’s greatest achievement – its ability to embrace human contradictions, memories, and regrets without judgment. With this unclassifiable film, Mike Flanagan confirms that he is much more than a master of horror. He is a filmmaker of memory, of the soul and the invisible.
The Life of Chuck (2025), directed by Mike Flanagan, in theaters now.
