Hiddleston, Hamill and Ejifor Shine in The Life of Chuck

When one thinks of Stephen King, horror, thriller type stories are what immediately engulfs the spirit.  The Life of Chuck, based on a short story by King, has thrilling aspects, but mostly shares the extraordinary story of an ordinary man experiencing the wonder of love, the heartbreak of loss and the multitude of emotions that make up this thing called life.

Working backwards, we meet Chuck as his life chapter is coming to a close at the end of the world to his quiet, yet wondrous childhood.  Charting a path through global catastrophe, intimate memory and transcendent hope, this film reveal how the most ordinary of lives can a universe unto itself.

King’s stories always exude a element that resonates with humanity on a whole and yet the protagonist is always an individual longing to belong, to fit in and be embraced for their differences instead of ostracized. While the premise of this film initially begins with the sci-fi surrealness of the apocalypse, The Life of Chick ultimately celebrates everyday moments of life where memory, the meaning of mortality are blended with the cosmic possibilities life can unfold.

Told in three chapters, it’s the understated, yet poignant performances that will make this film hover in your heart. A nearly unrecognizable Mark Hamill delivers a career best performance as Chuck’s grandfather – Albie Krantz. His monologue about the importance of math is epic!

Chiwetel Ejiofor, one of Hollywood’s most underrated talents, is simply amazing.  He makes the humanity and heart of Marty Anderson looks easy, but Ejiofor’s layered performance makes this character mulit-facted and interesting in a manner you never see coming.

Tom Hiddleston breaks away from the Marvel Universe inhabiting a character whose humanity not only changes his life, but all those in his orbit.  Hiddleston displays his full arsenal of talents in this one role and it is a sight to behold.

The Life of Chuck is a unforgettable lesson in life during a time where humanity is on the precipice of not knowing what is on the other side, but realizing our future is what we choose to make it.

This film starts out feeling dark, but it balances the gloom and doom with some wonderfully entertaining and unexpected dance sequences making for a emotional tie in for audiences to live life now with all you’ve got as  tomorrow it is not guaranteed for anyone. Like they said in the musical ‘Hamilton’ – who lives, who dies, who tells your story are of the utmost importance for one’s legacy to move and inspire those one has yet to meet