The Life of Chuck, the adaptation of the eponymous work by Stephen King, directed by Mike Flanagan (The Haunting of Hill House) and starring Tom Hiddleston, has won the Audience Award at the Toronto International Film Festival and is aiming to be a candidate for Best Picture at the 2025 Oscars.

In this movie, the world seems to be ending and everyone is saying goodbye to Chuck. Wherever Marty (Chiwetel Ejiofor) goes, he can't escape Charles Krantz (Tom Hiddleston). His face appears on billboards, posters in windows, and even on TV ads. What makes this seemingly ordinary accountant so special and deserving of such a farewell?

His connection includes Marty's ex-wife (Karen Gillan), his coworker, his neighbor, and nearly everyone he knows. Chuck's life story soon begins to unfold before the viewer, harking back to a childhood with grandfather Albie (Mark Hamill), who teaches him accounting and instills in him a love for dancing, all while hiding a prophetic secret in the attic.

The film, which has been compared to King's adaptations like The Shawshank Redemption or Stand by Me, is divided into three distinct chapters that unfold in reverse chronological order with a world seemingly crumbling slowly in the background.

The festival's critics have praised the warmth and melancholy of The Life of Chuck, Flanagan's direction, and also its impressive cast.

"We can feel the weight of the world crumbling upon us, but 'The Life of Chuck' threads all this through the beauty of existence," said The Wrap critic.

"As sweet as it is terrifying," said the Daily Beast. "Its scares are of the kind that come from fears too closely tied to being alone, isolated, and unable to cling to the people and memories that matter most."

A Good Oscar Indicator

Historically, the Audience Award at the Toronto Film Festival has been a reliable indicator of success in the Oscar race. In previous years, winners like Green Book and Nomadland went on to win the Best Picture Oscar.

Last year, the award went to American Fiction by Cord Jefferson, a debut feature that received nominations, and in 2022 to The Fabelmans by Steven Spielberg. In other editions, winners included Lalaland and Room, all major players in the award season.

The Life of Chuck still lacks a distributor and a cinema release date. To compete in the next edition of the Oscars, it must premiere in theaters in the United States before December 31, 2024.

*This article has been translated automatically using artificial intelligence