Taking Chance is a American historical drama television film directed by Ross Katz , from a screenplay by Michael Strobl and Katz, based on the journal of the same name by Strobl, who also serves as military consultant. The film received generally favorable reviews from critics. The movie is based on the recollections of U.
Marine Lt. He attended both Phelps's funeral and his memorial service, and wrote an essay about the entire experience, the emotions he felt and the people he met. It was published in the blog Blackfive on 23 April and was circulated widely on the Internet. Taking Chance received generally favorable reviews. It holds a 76 out of rating on Metacritic. One review from The Baltimore Sun , said that it " The film desperately wants the viewer to shed tears for its fallen hero without giving a single dramatic reason to do so.
The film was the most-watched HBO original in five years, with over two million viewers on the opening night, and more than 5. Critics often attribute this success to its apolitical nature, not directly depicting nor offering an opinion of the Iraq War.
Former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates wrote in his memoir Duty: Memoirs of a Secretary at War that the film had an "important impact" on his decision to allow the media access to the transfer of fallen service members at Dover Air Force Base in February Kelly , who was next to Chance when he was killed and is the father of First Lieutenant Robert Kelly who was killed in action in Afghanistan, recommended that the Washington press corps watch the film in order to understand the solemnity and dignity of the process of returning fallen military service members to their families.
Contents move to sidebar hide. Article Talk. Read Edit View history. Tools Tools. Download as PDF Printable version. In other projects. Wikidata item. Not to be confused with Taking Chances. Michael Strobl Ross Katz. Lee Percy Brian A. Plot [ edit ]. Cast [ edit ]. Critical reception [ edit ]. Awards and nominations [ edit ]. References [ edit ]. Retrieved 9 March Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 1 April Slant Magazine. Retrieved Wall Street Journal. News Corporation. March 14, Duty: Memoirs of a Secretary at War.
