The first Stephen King film adaptation was Brian De Palma’s classic “Carrie” in 1976. Since then, there have been more than 50 films and more than 30 TV shows based on King’s work, with several more already in production. At this point Stephen King Adaptation is almost a genre in and of itself. But of course there are actually several genres within King’s catalog, the most prominent being horror and the second most prominent being the life-affirming literary piece.
Director Mike Flanagan’s first two cracks at adapting King – 2017’s Gerald’s Game and 2019’s Doctor Sleep – were in the horror genre†. But now, with his new King adaptation The Life of Chuck, Flanagan has moved into adapting one of those feel-good, life-affirming Stephen King stories in the vein of Stand By Me, The Shawshank Redemption, and The Green Mile.
The Life of Chuck begins by telling the story of a world falling apart at the seams, before moving backwards through time to trace one man’s dance through life. It can be a difficult to ask audiences to buy in to a movie that places sentimentality and genuine emotion front and center, but The Life of Chuck does just that… and the audience reception has been great: the film won the highly coveted People’s Choice Award at last year’s Toronto International Film Festival and it’s certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. I saw it and loved it, and walked out appreciating just what a miracle it is that more than 50 years into his career, new Stephen King stories are still being adapted by writer/directors as wonderful as Mike Flanagan, and beloved by audiences around the world.
The Life of Chuck is out now.
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