“The Life of Chuck” with Tom Hiddleston in the lead role won over the audience. Photo: Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP/dpa
The moving sci-fi drama with Tom Hiddleston as a lovable accountant is based on a short story by Stephen King.
Toronto – The apocalyptic feel-good story “The Life of Chuck” by director Mike Flanagan is the winning film at the 49th Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). The adaptation of a short story by Stephen King with Tom Hiddleston in the lead role thrilled the audience of the Canadian metropolis, which traditionally chooses the winner instead of a jury.
Second place went to the musical crime comedy “Emilia Perez” by director Jacques Audiard, starring Zoe Saldana and Selena Gomez. Sean Baker’s tragicomedy “Anora” came in third place.
Charming and eerie, “The Life of Chuck” remains far removed from the horror genre in which Flanagan has enjoyed success with film adaptations such as “The Game” or “Ouija: Origin of Evil”. Instead, the sci-fi drama is a moving story about finding the rhythm and magic of life. Told in reverse chronological order, the film begins with the end: the world is on the verge of collapse.
Small town faces a mystery
Amid phenomena such as giant sinkholes and power outages, ads suddenly appear everywhere thanking Charles “Chuck” Krantz (Hiddleston) for “39 great years.” The campaign presents the residents of a small American town played by Chiwetel Ejiofor, Karen Gillan and Carl Lumbly with a mystery – because no one knows who Chuck is.
The film slowly reveals the life of a man who was born in the midst of tragedy and grew up surrounded by love and mediocrity. Chuck himself is also at the end of his life: he is suffering from a brain tumor. Flanagan spices up the look back at the life of the lovable, cheerful accountant with bursts of macabre and surreal humor – including a stunning seven-minute dance sequence by Hiddleston.
Director Flanagan: “My heart is dancing”
The director reacted with euphoria to the festival win: “My heart is dancing,” wrote Flanagan on the short message service X. “I am absolutely overwhelmed by this success. Thank you to the audience who opened their hearts to Chuck.” Writer King sent his congratulations to the “surprise winner.” “I am so happy for Mike Flanagan and his talented acting troupe,” wrote the author on X. “I am so happy for Mike Flanagan and his talented acting troupe.”
The audience voted “The Tragically Hip: No Dress Rehearsal” as the best documentary. The film documents the history and the last concert of the Canadian band before the death of lead singer Gord Downie, who died of cancer at the age of 53. It was directed by his brother Mike Downie. Coralie Fargeat’s “The Substance” starring Demi Moore was honored in the Midnight Madness section, which is dedicated to genre films.
At the ten-day film festival in Toronto, over 250 films competed for the audience’s favor. Unlike at festivals such as Cannes or Venice, the winning entry in Toronto is not chosen by a jury, but by the audience.
