The Life of Chuck

Tropic Sprockets by Ian Brockway

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Mike Flanagan (“Doctor Sleep”) handles Stephen King’s material once again with “The Life of Chuck,” based on a King short story.

The metaphysical and sentimental film has Hallmark Card accents but is greatly aided by the sincere performance of Benjamin Pajak as the 11-year-old Chuck.

This is the spiritual and heartfelt side of King and director Mike Flanagan. There are no real monsters, telekinesis, or malevolent spirits here. It is an affectionate analysis of an empathetic and delicate life.

Teacher Marty Anderson (Chiwetel Ejiofor) is being bombarded by current events around the world and so is everyone else. There are catastrophic floods in Europe, there are viral epidemics, terror attacks and mass shootings. Nationwide in America, the internet is down with many experts forecasting it permanently severed.

Most everyone is coping with some level of depression. All of the citizens see signs saying “THANKS CHUCK!” either on billboards, in the sky, or on windows. Most do not know who Chuck is. This is eerie and disquieting even though the Chuck in question is a mild-mannered accountant with a friendly face.

Marty is a teacher in Chuck’s school and after a prologue the film shifts to Chuck (Tom Hiddleston), a man in his late 30s carrying a briefcase. We can presume Chuck has taken life in stride but there is a reserved part of him, little expressed.

The best segments in the film feature Chuck dancing both as a man and a young boy.

Chuck loses his parents in a car crash, and he is sent to live with his grandfather Albi (Mark Hamill) and his grandmother (Mia Sara). The boy goes through childhood, mainly taking all as it comes. While Albi is a heavy drinker, he is surprisingly gentle, especially since this is the very same Stephen King who wrote The Shining about alcoholic demonology.

Hamill is mustached, quirky, and befuddled a bit like Geppetto in “Pinocchio.”

The one thing Chuck is passionate about is dance and he becomes smitten by Cat McCoy (Trinity Bliss) his dance partner.

Chuck has an existential manner, yet he also recognizes joy. He goes forth through every episode looking to the cosmos while Albi tells him to believe in his spirit.

There is also a touch of haunt. One sees disasters, floods, and fires. There is a dark and foreboding upstairs room. But for the most part we are in affectionate and charmed scenarios, with a content and smiling Chuck (despite a fearsome medical diagnosis), and a magically painted night sky that Spielberg would adore.

Even though all is mainly tranquil with a story that needs more charge and punch, the actors Benjamin Pajak, Trinity Bliss, and Tom Hiddleston give the film plenty of heart and satisfaction. It is epic in scope, pleasant and thoughtful, a kind of “It” sans the scares of Pennywise.

Write Ian at ianfree11@yahoo.com