Taking Chance

Back in 2003, I read Steven Brill's account of the aftermath of 9/11 in the United States. One of the many stories in the account dealt with rumors among the families of the victims, that the human remains intermingled with the debris. Feelings ran so strong that the City of New York finally arranged for a review of the site by a committee of family representatives. What they found were that the workers at the site were sifting through the wreckage with a far higher degree of care and sensitivity than they could possibly have guessed. People, at the end of the day, care about people.

I viewed 'Taking Chance' in that context. The political heat that infuses some of the other comments, is surprising to me. I didn't see the movie as making any political statement at all. In fact, to the extent that one can be inferred, it is mildly negative on the Iraqi war, raising the question of whether all this grief was worth it.

What it is about, is the respect that ordinary people have for grief and sacrifice. To that extent, it is profoundly moving,

To analyse this for its acting or deconstruct its camera angle and technique is to utterly miss the point. The undeniable truth of Taking Chance is that millions of people feel respect and gratitude to those brave enough to risk their lives for us. This movie is as much about them, as it is about the life a young marine who died young.

I'm the first person to argue against the propaganda of the Iraq war, or even Americas "Might is right" attitude, but those issues are utterly irrelevant to this movie.

This movie is about the respect and honour that everyone, from the lowliest baggage handler to the highest ranking officer should afford those who risk, and sometimes forfeit their lives in service of their country.

It doesn't matter whether the politicians are right or wrong - a footsoldier simply serves and trusts that his service is for the greater good, and for the protection of the freedoms that we enjoy.

This movie was incredibly moving, and when people call it boring or rant about its agenda, I have to ask if they have hearts of stone. Anyone with the minutest amount of human empathy can surely respect the tragedy of lives lost so young, even if you believe that they are misguided in their service.

What made this film so touching, was not the emotional journey of the escort, but the depiction of the genuine and heartfelt respect that ordinary Americans pay to the fallen. This was not contrived or made up. The average person has the humanity to put politics aside and honour the dead, and this movie was simply about that - the humanity and dignity and gratitude shown to the fallen.

I believe all war is wrong, and I despise Bush, but sometimes, unless we are to all roll over and hand our freedom over to those who do not share our values, soldiers such as Chance must go to war, and sometimes make the ultimate sacrifice. What is wrong with acknowledging and honouring that in a movie? America has fallen greatly in global opinion over the past decade, but this movie reminds me that ordinary Americans are compassionate, humane, decent people who, like the rest of us, have no control over those they elect to power, and only limited choices over whom to elect (if the elections are even run fairly in the first place).

This movie represents what people from all over the world admire about Americans. This excellent film is so moving. They honor the sacrifice of a warrior who died fighting for his country. Thanks to guys like Chance Phelps the United States of America exist and freedom exist. Thanks to America there's freedom in the world.

This film is a lesson to every country that should learn how to respect a fallen hero. In the most advanced civilizations all along history, from the Egyptians, the Greeks, the Romans, the Persians, the Chinese, etc. warriors have been honored by the civilian people and this will never change. America, keep reminding all of us how a brave nation should be like!!

Kudos to the American people. Thankyou.

On 28 December 2010, I began escort duty for PFC Conrado Javierdiaz, Jr. Private First Class Javierdiaz was laid to rest in Marina, California on 6 January 2011. This movie is a fairly accurate portrayal of what it is to be an escort. Much has changed between 2004 and 2010. Remains do not travel by commercial air anymore, but by contracted carriers, usually from Dover directly to the nearest airport to the final resting place. There are a few flaws; sloppy salutes, misplaced uniform items, and an airman wouldn't be walking around outdoors with no headgear and no blouse. But, overall, the movie was fairly accurate. And, although they didn't actually film at the Casualty Affairs building at Dover, there is a curved wall with the names of fallen servicemembers carved in it, very similar to the film. Along the way, in life as in the movie, there are many, many small and random acts of kindness and grace. Although we don't generally describe what we're doing and do all we can to maintain a level of solemnity and dignity, people along the way know who we are and what we're doing.

Taking Chance is a film that shows America and Americans in such a beautiful way, paying tribute in each's manner to someone who serves to protect our nation and our way of life. Sure, people dump on the film for its flag waving and for its rampant patriotism. But, me... I rather favor patriots. I don't have much patience for ingrates. It's nice to watch a film that makes me feel good about America.

The 2000's decade redefined the war movie genre much because of the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. And many times viewers tend to classified a movie as political or not, accurate or not, blood and guts versus contextualized and serious movies. In times when "Jarhead" or "The Hurt Locker" were so heavily criticized for having political statements (or not) on war, in "Taking Chance" you see something different. Here comes a movie that says more about bravery and honor to a duty than many war action movies. And its message sounds and appear better than movies made of Second World War, Vietnam War, any other war.

Based on a true story, the story follows LtCol Mike Strobl (Kevin Bacon), a military who volunteered to escort the body of 19-year-old Marine Chance Phelps back to his hometown of Dubois, Wyoming. While on journey he realizes his importance on this function and how people get touched by his gesture.

The main plot is very original, it's something rarely showed in movies. It was interesting to see all the procedures taken before the corpse be transferred by car and airplanes, all the service made by the military who washes the body, collects the personal objects and similar things. And there's also the views of the main character on what he's doing and the way he deals with the matter and the people he sees on his journey. One of the most memorable scenes is when all the cars made a straight line escorting Mike's car and the funeral car carrying Chance's body. All the cars lined up, slowly. A very good homage.

It's a good portrayal about the people who stood up for something sacrificing their lives for its country. Instead of showing up battle scenes, the movie opted to include a conversation between Bacon's character and a soldier friend of Chance about how he died saving everybody else. It's a very touching scene (and the best also). After that Mike has a brief conversation with a war veteran (played by Tom Aldredge) where he thinks he could be a better person or he could do more if he was fighting in Iraq. The old man replies that what Mike's saying is nonsense. And we must agree with that. He's doing a noble thing, a great thing for his country even outside of enemy lines.

It's a great movie and there's no political message, or military propaganda on the surface and not even behind it. And even if it had a political context it still would be a great movie. I don't know why people get so touchy and bothered about such statements and such views. After all, politics is one the basis of mankind, basis of a society and when it's included in a film it can make a film more interesting. If it had such things in "Taking Chance" it would drag the movie in other direction and anyway that's another story.

An incredible tour-de-force performance by Kevin Bacon, who really captured the essence of a Marine devoted to his duties, and also showed a good emotional side not trying to do such. He's powerful here. But I still think that Golden Globes and SAG Awards should award Brendan Gleeson for "Into the Storm" (different story but both contain war as subject). Gleeson playing Churchill was more difficult, he had a tough and heavy text to portray and the aged makeup to make him similar to the British leader. But that doesn't make Bacon's acting less visible or inferior. Watch it and you'll enjoy it.

One of the rare films of today that lacks of criticism, and it's great because of that. It certainly honors all the brave people on battles, risking their lives whatever the cause, whatever the cost. 9/10