---
title: "The Life of Chuck"
year: 2025
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/the-life-of-chuck"
fi1m_id: "the-life-of-chuck"
imdb_id: "tt12908150"
tmdb_id: 842924
wikidata_id: "Q123169098"
fi1m_score: 63
critics_score: 62
critics_reviews: 24
published: "2026-09-30T22:51:57.018428+00:00"
updated: "2026-09-30T22:51:57.584187+00:00"
region: "KR"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# The Life of Chuck (2025)

Directed by Mike Flanagan · 1h 51m · KMRB 15 · Fantasy, Drama

## Identity

The Life of Chuck

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/the-life-of-chuck
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** the-life-of-chuck
- **IMDb ID:** tt12908150
- **TMDB ID:** 842924
- **Wikidata ID:** Q123169098
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12908150/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/842924, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q123169098

**Fi1m score: 63** · Critics 62 from 24 reviews

*In a sentence:* The end of the world, a stranger who can dance, and a narrator who will not stop explaining

> Mike Flanagan’s Stephen King adaptation has a street-corner dance good enough to justify the ticket, and an end-of-the-world chapter nearly as good. Then it spends its last forty minutes telling us, in words, what it had already shown us.

## Synopsis

Told in three chapters that run backwards, the film opens at the end of the world. In a small American town, Marty Anderson (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a schoolteacher, watches things fail one after another and goes on teaching anyway. His ex-wife Felicia Gordon (Karen Gillan), a nurse, rings him for the first time in months. Nobody panics. Every billboard and television screen carries the same smiling man in a suit and the same message, thanking a Charles Krantz for thirty-nine great years. Nobody Marty asks knows who Chuck is. The later chapters move back through Chuck’s own life: Tom Hiddleston as a man in a suit, and Benjamin Pajak as the boy he was, raised by his grandparents Albie (Mark Hamill) and Sarah Krantz (Mia Sara). Nick Offerman narrates.

## Review

Mike Flanagan has adapted Stephen King twice before, in *Gerald’s Game* (2017) and *Doctor Sleep* (2019), and both times he chose horror. This time he has chosen a story with no monster in it. *The Life of Chuck* is told backwards in three chapters, beginning with the end of the world and finishing with a boy learning to dance in his grandparents’ house. It is sincere to the point of discomfort, it has one sequence we would not have missed for anything, and it explains itself far more than it needs to.

The first chapter is the best, and the one nobody would expect from this material. Marty Anderson (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a schoolteacher, watches the world come apart a piece at a time. His ex-wife Felicia Gordon (Karen Gillan) works nights at the hospital and is surprised to find she still wants to talk to him. Nobody panics much; they go to work and come home. On every billboard a man in a suit smiles above a message thanking Charles Krantz for thirty-nine great years, and nobody knows who he is. Eben Bolter shoots it under failing streetlight and in rooms lit by whatever still works, and there is a walk home along a darkening road that gave us a proper chill. Andrew Grush and Taylor Stewart keep the score to a low hum here, and Ejiofor plays a man who has stopped expecting answers and is quietly relieved.

Then the chapter called Act Two, and the dance. Chuck (Tom Hiddleston), a man in a suit carrying a briefcase, walks past a busker drumming on a corner, sets the briefcase down and starts to move. Janice Halliday (Annalise Basso), who has just been dumped by text, gets pulled in. It runs for several minutes and Flanagan, who edits the film himself, mostly lets it run, holding wide enough that we can see the whole body and the crowd forming. Hiddleston dances like a man who took lessons as a child and has told nobody since, loose in the hips and pleased with himself, and Basso matches him. We grinned in the dark for the whole of it and were sorry when he picked the briefcase back up. It is the reason to see the film, and the reason most critics forgive what follows.

What follows is the longest chapter and the weakest. Chuck grows up with his grandparents, played as a boy by Benjamin Pajak and at other ages by Jacob Tremblay and Cody Flanagan. Albie Krantz (Mark Hamill) is his grandfather, Sarah Krantz (Mia Sara) his grandmother, and it is Sarah who dances in the kitchen and passes it on. Miss Rohrbacher (Samantha Sloyan) runs the school dance club where Chuck partners Cat McCoy (Trinity Jo-Li Bliss). Steve Arnold gives the family a tall wooden house with a cupola, the sort of place King has been writing about for fifty years, and Hamill is good in it, gruff and careful, with fear underneath. But the chapter goes on, and on, and each scene exists to account for something in the two before it.

The trouble is the narrator. Nick Offerman reads long stretches of prose over the picture, telling us what Marty is thinking, what Chuck decides, what the grandfather’s silence means. The actors are already showing us. Every time the film comes near something we might have worked out for ourselves, Offerman arrives to make sure we do not have to. The idea on the poster, that every life is a universe all its own, is spoken, then paraphrased, then illustrated. Once would have done. By the last half hour the mystery of the billboards has been answered in full, and we felt the film taking something back from us that we had been glad to hold.

Flanagan is the most sympathetic reader King has had on screen in years, and he can hold a large sad idea steady; *Doctor Sleep* did it for two and a half hours. Here he has 111 minutes and one idea, that an ordinary life is the size of a universe, and he does not trust us with it. Because the film runs backwards, its high point arrives at the halfway mark, and everything after is explanation.

See it for the first chapter and for the dance, and go in knowing the film will then explain both. Bring someone who cries easily; they will have a better night than you will. It carries a 15 and opened in British cinemas on 22 August 2025.

*Fi1m score 63, published 30 September 2026.*

## What the critics say

Most critics find The Life of Chuck warm and sincere, and most of them have a reservation about it. The reviews lean positive, and the praise gathers in two places: Tom Hiddleston, whose relaxed, melancholy performance as Chuck is admired even by those who dislike the film, and the street-corner dance sequence, which nearly every critic names as the moment where the film shares its joy with the audience. Several also single out the opening chapter, with its end-of-days melancholy, as the most interesting stretch.

The reservations cluster on sentiment. A sizeable group finds the film saccharine, its life lessons simplistic and its speeches heavy-handed, and many say the reverse-chronological structure loses force as it goes, with the childhood section named the weakest act. The spread is wide: Den of Geek gives it full marks, while The Guardian finds it stilted and unmoving and The New Yorker says its engineered storytelling stifles the feeling it reaches for.

## Straight answers

**Is The Life of Chuck worth watching?**

*The Life of Chuck* is worth watching for the first chapter and for Tom Hiddleston's street-corner dance, and we scored it 63. Mike Flanagan's Stephen King adaptation is sincere and well made, but its last forty minutes explain, in narration, what the actors have already shown. Go in for the two good hours it half contains, and bring someone who cries easily.

**How long is The Life of Chuck, and what is it rated?**

*The Life of Chuck* runs 1h 51m and is rated 15 by the KMRB in South Korea. It is a fantasy and drama film.

**Where can I watch The Life of Chuck in South Korea?**

*The Life of Chuck* is streaming on Disney+ in South Korea. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service.

**How violent or frightening is The Life of Chuck, and is it suitable for children?**

*The Life of Chuck* carries a UK 15 certificate and is a drama rather than a horror film, with no monster in it. The first chapter shows the world ending quietly, and one walk home along a darkening road gave us a proper chill, but nothing the review notes as gory or violent. It is not made for younger children; older teenagers should be fine.

**How does The Life of Chuck compare to Ikiru?**

*The Life of Chuck* and [*Ikiru*](https://film.one/film/ikiru) both hold that an ordinary life matters, and both keep explaining what they have already shown. Kurosawa's film is the better one: Takashi Shimura's dying clerk makes wasted time painfully ordinary, where Flanagan's film peaks at its dance and then narrates itself home. Choose *Ikiru* for the deeper evening, *The Life of Chuck* for the warmer and easier one.

**What should I watch after The Life of Chuck?**

After *The Life of Chuck*, try [*Ikiru*](https://film.one/film/ikiru) (1952, Fi1m 92): Kurosawa’s clerk learns he is dying and finally does one thing that matters. Then [*Melancholia*](https://film.one/film/melancholia) (2011, Fi1m 80): The end of the world arrives during a wedding, and everyone keeps setting the table; and [*Synecdoche, New York*](https://film.one/film/synecdoche-new-york) (2008, Fi1m 84): A whole life staged inside a warehouse; sadder, stranger and less tidy than Chuck.

### Reviews we read (24)

- **Vulture**, Bilge Ebiri (90/100, inferred): Ebiri finds the film deeply moving and unexpectedly twisty, praising its emotional portrayal of endurance and the value of living fully. He particularly singles out the marvelous street-corner dance sequence as a moment of fleeting beauty. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/article/the-life-of-chuck-stephen-king-adaptation-movie-review.html)
- **Empire**, Dan Jolin (75/100, inferred): Jolin finds the film divisive but moving, praising its brazen sincerity and life-affirming embrace of joy. He singles out the final chapter as tonally less clear and less rousing than the preceding sections. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/the-life-of-chuck/)
- **Sight and Sound**, BFI (75/100, inferred): The critic finds the film a hopeful, emotionally resonant adaptation and sees Flanagan as an especially sympathetic interpreter of Stephen King. They single out Tom Hiddleston’s sustained dance sequence as a joyous highlight, while noting that the supernatural ending may frustrate some viewers. [Read](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/life-chuck-soft-edged-big-hearted-stephen-king-adaptation)
- **IndieWire**, Katie Rife (B-): Rife finds the film warmly earnest and potentially too saccharine, though its sentimentality may charm viewers. She praises its central idea that every ordinary life contains a universe of memories and connections. [Read](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/the-life-of-chuck-review-mike-flanagan-tom-hiddleston-1235044922/)
- **Radio Times**, Kevin Harley (70/100, inferred): The review presents the film as an entertaining crowd-pleaser, though its sentimentality sometimes outweighs its substance. The critic singles out its imaginative, affirmative approach while noting that schmaltz can overwhelm it. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movies/the-life-of-chuck-review/)
- **RogerEbert.com** (64/100, inferred): The URL identifies this as RogerEbert.com’s review, but the page content is unavailable, so its verdict cannot be established. No praise or complaint from the critic is visible. [Read](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-life-of-chuck-mike-flanagan-film-review-2025)
- **Screen Daily**, Nikki Baughan (64/100, inferred): The headline presents the film as a sentimental adaptation, but the accessible text does not establish the review’s overall verdict. It singles out Tom Hiddleston as the headline performer and notes the supporting cast. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/the-life-of-chuck-review-tom-hiddleston-headlines-sentimental-stephen-king-adaptation/5205929.article)
- **The New York Times** (64/100, inferred): The URL identifies this as a review of the specified film, but the blocked page provides no readable verdict. No praise or complaint from the critic is available to summarize. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/05/movies/the-life-of-chuck-review-tom-hiddleston.html)
- **Little White Lies**, Billie Walker (3/3/2): Walker finds the film overly precious and insubstantial, calling it a collection of borrowed brilliance. She singles out the opening chapter’s portrait of disconnected people as the film’s most interesting section. [Read](https://lwlies.com/reviews/the-life-of-chuck)
- **The AV Club**, Natalia Keogan (C-): Keogan finds the film shallow, bloated, and cloyingly sentimental, criticizing its individualistic feel-good message. She praises the centerpiece dance sequence, particularly the performers’ rhythm and physicality. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/the-life-of-chuck-review)
- **Los Angeles Times**, Amy Nicholson (40/100, inferred): Nicholson finds the film’s apocalyptic opening and dance sequence engaging, but says its puzzle-like structure ultimately fails to add up. She especially praises the opening act’s depiction of people coping with catastrophe, while criticizing the weaker childhood section and its unexplored mystical portal. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2025-06-05/life-of-chuck-review-stephen-king-mike-flanagan-tom-hiddleston-chiwetel-ejiofor-karen-gillan)
- **The Hollywood Reporter**, Michael Rechtshaffen (40/100, inferred): The critic finds the film uplifting but ultimately uneven, as its reverse-chronological structure loses force. Hiddleston’s dance sequence is singled out as captivating, while the lengthy backstory is called the weakest act. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/the-life-of-chuck-review-tom-hiddleston-mike-flanagan-1235994900/)
- **Variety**, Siddhant Adlakha (30/100, inferred): The critic finds the film’s mysteries and emotional shifts compelling at first, but says its literal explanations undermine their power. The spontaneous street dance sequence is singled out as especially energetic and beautifully assembled. [Read](https://variety.com/2024/film/reviews/the-life-of-chuck-review-1236136838/)
- **The Guardian**, Benjamin Lee (25/100, inferred): Lee finds the film emotionally unmoving, stilted and burdened by simplistic life lessons. He praises the first section’s end-of-days melancholy as the closest the film comes to genuine feeling. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/jun/05/life-of-chuck-movie-review-stephen-king)
- **The New Yorker**, Richard Brody (25/100, inferred): Brody finds the film’s tightly engineered storytelling and impersonal apocalypse ultimately stifle its emotional depth. He praises the spontaneous dance sequence for briefly sharing the characters’ joy with the audience. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-front-row/apocalypse-no-the-life-of-chuck-stumbles-at-the-finish-line)
- **Den of Geek**, David Crow (5/5): Crow calls the film an empathetic, deceptively epic character study and considers it a masterpiece. He praises Tom Hiddleston’s layered performance as Chuck, highlighting its blend of melancholy and sweetness. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/the-life-of-chuck-review-stephen-king-mike-flanagan/)
- **The Wrap** (95/100, inferred): The critic calls the film magnificent, moving, and Flanagan’s best work yet, despite some stumbles in its last act. They praise its delicate editing and the way it connects small moments of joy to life’s finitude. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/the-life-of-chuck-review-mike-flanagan-stephen-king-tom-hiddleston/)
- **Collider**, Jason Gorber (9/10): Gorber calls the film a stunner and one of the greatest Stephen King adaptations. He particularly praises Flanagan’s use of cinema to give the story warmth, rhythm, and emotional depth. [Read](https://collider.com/the-life-of-chuck-review/)
- **/Film**, Bill Bria (9/10): The critic calls the film an insightful, moving, and empathetic work, praising its balance of intellectual ideas and emotional tenderness. He singles out Flanagan’s earnest direction and the reverse-chronological structure, while noting that the film’s sweetness and ambiguity may feel alienating to some viewers. [Read](https://www.slashfilm.com/1878335/the-life-of-chuck-review/)
- **Deadline**, Damon Wise (75/100, inferred): Wise finds the film initially slow-going but ultimately upbeat and poignant. He singles out its underlying warmth as the quality that could give it lasting appeal. [Read](https://deadline.com/2024/09/the-life-of-chuck-review-mike-flanagan-stephen-king-short-story-tom-hiddleston-chiwetel-ejiofor-toronto-film-festival-1236090298/)
- **Film Stories**, Maria Lattila (75/100, inferred): Lattila finds the film emotionally affecting and ultimately lovely, despite its ambiguity and occasional storytelling frustrations. She especially praises Tom Hiddleston’s relaxed performance and the dance scene that captures the film’s spirit. [Read](https://filmstories.co.uk/reviews/the-life-of-chuck-review-dancing-through-life/)
- **Paste**, Anna McKibbin (6.7/10): McKibbin finds the film ambitious and a successful genre departure, though its later focus and sentimental speeches weaken its impact. She praises Flanagan’s control of tone and pacing, especially the ominous atmosphere that shades everyday drama. [Read](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/the-life-of-chuck/the-life-of-chuck-review-mike-flanagan-multitudes-stephen-king-sentimental-problems)
- **The Skinny**, Carmen Paddock (★★★): Paddock finds the adaptation works for the most part despite monotonous pacing and excessive narration. She praises the cast’s performances and Flanagan’s theatrical style for bringing sincerity to the story. [Read](https://www.theskinny.co.uk/film/new-releases/the-life-of-chuck)
- **HeyUGuys** (35/100, inferred): The critic finds the film ambitious but ponderous and overly pretentious, with its grand ideas insufficiently earned. Strong performances and moments of tenderness provide some emotional weight, but heavy-handed storytelling limits the film's impact. [Read](https://www.heyuguys.com/the-life-of-chuck-review/)

## Details

- **Director:** Mike Flanagan
- **Director:** Mike Flanagan
- **Writer:** Mike Flanagan
- **Cinematography:** Eben Bolter
- **Editor:** Mike Flanagan
- **Music:** Taylor Stewart, Andrew Grush
- **Production design:** Steve Arnold
- **Costume design:** Terry Anderson
- **Producer:** Trevor Macy, Mike Flanagan
- **Cast:** Tom Hiddleston as Charles 'Chuck' Krantz; Benjamin Pajak as Charles 'Chuck' Krantz; Nick Offerman as Narrator (voice); Chiwetel Ejiofor as Marty Anderson; Karen Gillan as Felicia Gordon; Mia Sara as Sarah Krantz; Mark Hamill as Albie Krantz; Annalise Basso as Janice Halliday
- **Runtime:** 1h 51m
- **Certificate (KMRB):** 15
- **Release (South Korea):** 24 December 2025
- **Genres:** Fantasy, Drama
- **Budget:** $25 million
- **Box office:** $20 million
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlN1Mmj6YNo

## Where to watch in South Korea

- Disney+: streaming, hd

*Checked 2026-09-30.*

Also available in: AR, AT, AU, BE, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, DE, DK, ES, FI, FR, GB, IE, IN, IT, KR, MX, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PL, PT, SE, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## If you liked this

- *Ikiru* (1952), Fi1m 92: Kurosawa’s clerk learns he is dying and finally does one thing that matters. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/ikiru.md)
- *Melancholia* (2011), Fi1m 80: The end of the world arrives during a wedding, and everyone keeps setting the table. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/melancholia.md)
- *Synecdoche, New York* (2008), Fi1m 84: A whole life staged inside a warehouse; sadder, stranger and less tidy than Chuck. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/synecdoche-new-york.md)
- *Perfect Days* (2023), Fi1m 83: Wenders watches a Tokyo toilet cleaner and finds a universe without a narrator. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/perfect-days.md)
- *Stand by Me* (1986), Fi1m 88: King without monsters, done first and done better: four boys, a summer, a railway line. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/stand-by-me.md)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/the-life-of-chuck