Mike Flanagan’s ‘The Life of Chuck’ Wins Toronto Film Festival’s People’s Choice Award

“The Life of Chuck,” an apocalyptic yet heartwarming film starring Tom Hiddleston and directed by Mike Flanagan, has won the prestigious People’s Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).

This award has often been a strong indicator of future Oscar success. Previous winners, such as “Green Book” and “Nomadland,” later secured the Academy Award for Best Picture. Last year’s People’s Choice Award went to Cord Jefferson’s “American Fiction,” while in 2022, Steven Spielberg’s “The Fabelmans” took the honor. Both films went on to be Best Picture nominees and played significant roles in awards season.

While it’s uncertain whether “The Life of Chuck” will follow this pattern, the film has received generally favorable reviews. Variety’s Siddhant Adlakha commended the movie for its “wild tonal shifts between horror and naked sentimentality that work with surprising precision, to a litany of fun supporting characters played by Flanagan regulars, and a general rejection of cynicism even in the face of despondency.”

Adapted from Stephen King’s 2020 novella, “The Life of Chuck” is described as a “life-affirming” narrative centered around an ordinary man named Charles Krantz. The film is divided into three distinct chapters, unfolding in reverse chronological order, set against the backdrop of a world slowly falling apart. The cast includes Mark Hamill, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Karen Gillan, and Jacob Tremblay. Unlike King’s darker works like “It” or “Pet Sematary,” this film has been likened to adaptations such as “Shawshank Redemption” and “Stand By Me.” However, the film is still seeking distribution.

At this year’s festival, the first runner-up for the People’s Choice Award was Jacques Audiard’s musical crime melodrama “Emilia Perez,” featuring Zoe Saldaña, Karla Sofía Gascón, and Selena Gomez. The second runner-up was Sean Baker’s “Anora.”

In other categories, the Midnight Madness audience award went to Demi Moore’s body horror thriller “The Substance,” while the documentary prize was awarded to “The Tragically Hip: No Dress Rehearsal.” All films in TIFF’s official selection are eligible for the People’s Choice Award, which is decided by public vote.

Read the whole article on Variety.