(2009) 40% (A) (5) http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117939355.html?categoryid=31&cs=1&query=Taking Chance (2009) * * * * "See my profile for the key to this code" * * * * SYNOPSIS: After hearing of the heroic death of a young Marine in Iraq, veteran officer Lt. Colonel Michael Strobl (Kevin Bacon) volunteers to escort the remains of Lance Corporal Chance Phelps back to his home in Dubois, Wyoming in the spring of 2004. As Strobl crosses America's heartland, he will find himself on an unexpectedly emotional journey into the soul of a country mourning not only Chance, but all of our country's fallen heroes." CONSENSUS: "A tedious 85 minutes of Kevin Bacon saluting." MOTIVATION FOR ME TO SEE: I saw this film on PBS's "Independent Lens" recently. It was also a part of CBS' "60 Minutes". I think Colin Colvert's review in the Star Tribune made mention that even though the film presented most events as they actually happened, the director used dramatic license on the Minneapolis segment (Lt. Colonel Strobl did not spend the night in the hanger keeping vigil next to the coffin). The special featurette "From script to screen" on how the film was made is the main reason I am checking out this DVD, but the added backstory of Chance's and Lt. Colonel Strobl's lives, also covered on the disc, will give me a more complete picture of this rarely covered aspect of war. [New purchase by HCL]

posted Jun 1, 2009 at 3:03PM

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