Culture
Dancing through the end of the world: ‘The Life of Chuck’ is a standout of 2025
By: Gordon Briggs
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The world is coming to an end. After months of internet and power outages, various natural disasters, and a general feeling of hopelessness, The Life of Chuck starts by showing us the end of all things. The question is, if the entire world is ending, why are our main characters seeing posters and billboards everywhere wishing happy retirement to some man named Chuck? This is the mystery behind The Life of Chuck, a genre-bending and unabashedly sentimental movie that may be one of the standouts of 2025.
Starting with the literal end of the world but unfolding in reverse chronology, we follow the life of an accountant who … you know what? I’m not going to say much more because part of the film’s power is going in cold and watching this world build itself even as it chronicles another world falling apart. Those who want a supernatural horror from Stephen King may be disappointed.
However, In another fruitful collaboration with director Mike Flannigan, the film unfolds before us like a good mystery book, where small, seemingly minor events are revealed to carry great significance. Example: There’s an entertaining moment where Chuck has an impromptu swing dance with a stranger. It’s an ordinary event, but it resonates throughout the entire film, highlighting how we must live in the present. That’s the secret to this movie. Rather than just reveling in the death of the universe, the film gives us a way out.
This is a film of multitudes. The way the movie blends cosmic ideas, end-of-times depression, and little asides about adolescence would be a daunting task for any movie, but it’s made easier by this outstanding cast. Mark Hamill and Chiwetel Ejiofor are quite good here as supporting characters in Chuck’s journey. For my money, Matthew Lillard does his best work with a monologue that only lasts a few minutes.
The result may frustrate some, but to me, it’s a “post-post-apocalyptic” film. One that’s destined to play in nearly empty theaters but will find an audience among those looking to cope with a world that feels like it’s gone wrong.
Rating: ★★★★