Product Details

• Actors: Kevin Bacon
• Writers: Michael Strobl
• Format: AC-3, Color, Dolby, DVD, Subtitled, Closed-captioned, NTSC
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 5.1), Spanish (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo)
• Subtitles: English, French, Portuguese, Spanish
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Hbo Home Video
• DVD Release Date: May 12, 2009
• Run Time: 77 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (403 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B001TOD6N4
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,109 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "Taking Chance" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

Based on the true experiences of Lt. Colonel Michael Strobl, who wrote eloquently of them in a widely circulated 2004 article, Taking Chance is a profoundly emotional look at the military rituals taken to honor its war dead, as represented by a fallen Marine killed in Iraq, Lance Corporal Chance Phelps. Description is continued below.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

188 of 190 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A moving and profound film, February 26, 2009

By 

Donald M. Bishop (Virginia) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Taking Chance (DVD)

I viewed this film at a pre-screening, and I left the theater deeply moved. It's a simple story made into a heartfelt film -- Marine Lieutenant Colonel Michael Strobl (perfectly played by Kevin Bacon) accompanies the remains of Private First Class Chance Phelps from the mortuary at Dover AFB in Delaware to his home in Wyoming.

The Marine's death in Iraq occurs in the tense first minute of the film, with viewers only hearing the radio chatter and the explosion on a black screen. The screen comes to light with PFC Phelps' remains being sent to the U.S. The care of the remains and the personal effects makes visible and gives dignity to the anonymous work at Dover AFB.

The story takes the viewer into some seldom-seen corners of America -- from airport cargo facilities to the mountain highways of Wyoming -- and shows everywhere the reverence for the fallen. When the escort gives Phelps' watch, dog tags, and wooden cross to his parents, eight days after his death, even men will feel the tears coming. Finally, as LtCol Strobl (who had not yet been to Operation Iraqi Freedom when he accompanied Phelps' remains home) thinks over the experience, there's a meditation on where duty lies for a Marine Corps officer.

Director Ross Katz, Kevin Bacon, and HBO have given us a profound film that grants us a rare look not at America's prosperity, or freedoms, or politics -- but rather America's soul.

-30-

104 of 104 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A moving American experience, March 1, 2009

By 

Robin Benson - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Taking Chance (DVD)

A deeply moving story and another plus for HBO. To my mind you just don't see too many movies that have this kind of honesty. One that comes to mind was The Straight Story. Taking Chance, though, is a completely different theme dealing with death, respect, honor, patriotism, family and love. Fortunately all of this is handled in a straightforward no-nonsense way and thank goodness it was. Hollywood really doesn't have too much of a reputation for presenting a simple truth without twisting it into something else.

The story unfolds very much like a documentary I thought. Kevin Bacon plays Lt. Col. Michael Strobl as the military escort taking the body of a dead soldier home to be buried. His performance was just right as was everyone else because the story was greater than all the parts combined. Particularly rewarding to watch, while the coffin, covered by the flag, was at airports or on the highway, was the way ordinary people took it upon themselves to pay their respects to someone they didn't know but who had died for his country: for them.

I don't know if this kind of movie is awards material. I think the story, in its simplicity and honesty, puts it way above the hype, razzle-dazzle and celebrity PR nonsense that surround awards. It's just too good to be commercialized in that way. It would be wonderful if its stature was achieved by word-of-mouth alone.

See it and be moved!

72 of 73 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Taking Chance, February 24, 2009

By 

J. Young - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Taking Chance (DVD)

I'm a Marine Mom and I found this movie very moving. It was well made and Kevin Bacon did an excellent job portraying his character. I think it showed the honor our fallen hero's receive and deserve.