Taking Chance

If you haven’t seen “Taking Chance”, it isn’t surprising. It was never released to theaters, tubed straight to HBO, a fate usually reserved for losers. But this is a remarkable exception. Said to have been officially discouraged by the Marine Corps, they did, in fact, render very accurate detail about the content, behind-the-scenes details of the trip home for a fallen soldier in Iraq. It is a drama presented as a documentary, and it works only too well. It is a film in the spirit of “Saving Private Ryan”, updated to 2009.

It is at once a very inspiring and disquieting film. Very few know the rituals involving bringing a body back from overseas, preparing it for the funeral and accompanying if to the funeral (every step of the way by a Marine escort). The details of this ritual are interspaced during the trip and are spellbinding. Remarkable care is shown by those who come in contact with the remains at each stage of the journey. It is truly haunting. I had no idea.

This is a film that transcends politics and governance. It is simply a view of the respect and dignity offered by his country to a young person who died under honorable circumstances. A powerful reminder that their deaths did take place, and that their lives mattered. The story is simple and honest. The dialog is brief. Kevin Bacon shines like a beacon, absolutely his best ever heartfelt performance ever.

If not making the rounds of HBO, it is avaialble on the torrents. I will mail to anyone wanting it via or on DVD. It’s an 800 MB .AVI file.

Unrated by me out of respect for the content.