The Life of Chuck (2025) Review: Containing Multitudes

Chuck. Dreams. Visions. And Dance.

Originally published in his 2020 anthology book If It Bleeds, Mike Flanagan’s ambitious reworking of Stephen King’s novella The Life of Chuck is simply marvellous. This is most likely why it won the People’s Choice Award at TIFF. When I walked into the theatre, I didn’t know what to expect. But whatever it is, this adaptation was far beyond my imagination.

The three separate acts of events which take place in reverse chronological order are anchored by Chuck (Tom Hiddleston).

With the film split into three acts, the third act “Thanks, Chuck” which plays first, is perhaps the most perplexing introduction possible as it reveals the universe that is nearing an apocalypse and an estranged, yet loving couple, Marty Anderson (Chiwetel Ejiofor) and Felicia Gordon (Karen Gillian), who are trying to find each other in all the expected abysmal aftermath. Despite the natural disasters worldwide and the sudden internet blackout, the image of an accountant named Charles “Chuck” Krantz is featured on a number of billboards and commercials that are appearing everywhere, along with the text, “Charles Krantz: 39 Great Years! Thanks, Chuck.”

The second act is an unexpected roller-coaster ride, timelining nine months prior to the events of the third act. A drummer, Taylor (Taylor Gordon), dropped out of Julliard and followed her passion to bring the beat to the world, drumming away on different streets. At an intersection of the busy Boylston Street in Boston, Chuck is walking by as he is in the city for a conference. As is customary, Taylor anticipates that he will simply pass by. However, Chuck stops. He drops his bag. And he begins dancing. Like a pro. He even finds his dance partner in the recently jilted Janice Halliday (Annalise Basso).

The final first act comprises a multitude of incidents that signify the unique life of Chuck. This segment highlights his childhood, his relationship with his grandparents, his discovery of his passion for dancing and the mysterious, forbidden cupola in his house. At school, as a child, Chuck probes Ms. Richards, his utopianist instructor, on the meaning of the line “I contain multitudes” from Walt Whitman’s poem Song of Myself. Richards tells Chuck that he is made up of many different parts and that the memories he accumulates throughout his life create a mental cosmos. This marked his enrolment into the “Twirlers and Spinners” dance activity as a teenager, moonwalk dancing lessons and his crush, Cat McCoy (Trinity Bliss). This act culminates with an explanation that intricately ties up all the loose ends that transpired in the last two acts.

Each act is more confounding than the next, but I guess that’s what keeps you eagerly hooked– Who is Chuck? What’s dance got to do with it? How does Chuck fit into the end-of-the-world problems?

The world that somehow exists inside Chuck starts to disintegrate once he begins to slowly fade. The basic premise is that he has a whole universe in his head, regardless of whether it was formed by his experiences,  whether it just resides inside him, or something else entirely. It’s a strange thought that you need to head to the movies to unravel and dissect.