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Taking Chance

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Not to be confused withTaking Chances.
Taking Chance
Official film poster
GenreHistorical drama
Written by
Directed byRoss Katz
StarringKevin Bacon
ComposerMarcelo Zarvos
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
Production
Executive producers
ProducerLori Keith Douglas
CinematographyAlar Kivilo
Editors
Running time77 minutes
Production companies
Original release
NetworkHBO
ReleaseJanuary 16, 2009(2009-01-16)

Taking Chanceis a 2009 Americanhistorical dramatelevision filmdirected byRoss Katz,from a screenplay byMichael Strobland Katz, based on the journal of the same name by Strobl, who also serves as military consultant.Kevin Bacon's portrayal of Strobl in the film won him aGolden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Miniseries or a Motion Picture Made for Televisionand aScreen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie,among other accolades.

Taking Chancepremiered at theSundance Film Festivalon January 16, 2009, and aired onHBOin the United States on February 21, 2009. The film received generally favorable reviews from critics. At the61st Primetime Emmy Awards,it earned ten nominations, includingOutstanding Made for Television MovieandOutstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Moviefor Bacon, and won one forOutstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Miniseries or a Movie.

Plot

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The movie is based on the recollections of U.S. MarineLt. ColMichael Strobl,a real person, who accompanied the remains ofLance CorporalChance Phelps,a Marine fatally wounded by gunfire nearBaghdadduring theIraq War,fromDover Air Force BasetoDubois, Wyomingin April 2004. 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 blogBlackfiveon 23 April 2004 and was circulated widely on the Internet.[1]

Cast

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Family members of Chance Phelps attend the Virginia premiere in February 2009.
Director Ross Katz speaking before the premiere
Kevin Bacon speaking before the premiere
Len Amato, president of HBO Films, speaking before the premiere

Critical reception

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Taking Chancereceived generally favorable reviews. It holds a 76 out of 100 rating onMetacritic.[2]Review aggregatorRotten Tomatoesgave it a 57% rating based on reviews from 7 critics.[3]

One review fromThe Baltimore Sun,said that it "... is one of the most eloquent and socially conscious films the premium cable channel has ever presented,"[4]andUSA Today,said "A small, almost perfectly realized gem of a movie,Taking Chanceis also precisely the kind of movie that TV should be making. "[citation needed]On the other end isSlant Magazine,saying "Instead of well-drawn characters or real human drama, we are presented with a military procedural on burial traditions. The film desperately wants the viewer to shed tears for its fallen hero without giving a single dramatic reason to do so."[5]

The film was the most-watched HBO original in five years, with over two million viewers on the opening night, and more than 5.5 million on re-airings. Critics often attribute this success to its apolitical nature, not directly depicting nor offering an opinion of theIraq War.[6]

Former Secretary of DefenseRobert Gateswrote in his 2014 memoirDuty: Memoirs of a Secretary at Warthat the film had an "important impact" on his decision to allow the media access to the transfer of fallen service members atDover Air Force Basein February 2009.[7]During a White House press conference in 2017, former White House Chief of Staff and Retired Marine Corps GeneralJohn F. 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.[8]

Awards and nominations

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Year Award Category Nominee(s) Result Ref.
2009
 Humanitas Prize 90 Minute or Longer Network or Syndicated Television Michael StroblandRoss Katz Won [9]
Online Film & Television Association Awards Best Motion Picture Nominated [10]
Best Actor in a Motion Picture or Miniseries Kevin Bacon Nominated
Best Direction of a Motion Picture or Miniseries Ross Katz Nominated
Best Writing of a Motion Picture or Miniseries Michael Strobl and Ross Katz Nominated
Best Editing in a Motion Picture or Miniseries Nominated
Best New Titles Sequence in a Series, Motion Picture or Miniseries Nominated
Best Production Design in a Motion Picture or Miniseries Nominated
Best Sound in a Motion Picture or Miniseries Nominated
Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Made for Television Movie Brad Krevoy,Cathy Wischner-Sola, Ross Katz, William Teitler, and Lori Keith Douglas Nominated [11]
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie Kevin Bacon Nominated
Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries, Movie or Dramatic Special Ross Katz Nominated
Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries, Movie or Dramatic Special Michael Strobl and Ross Katz Nominated
Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards Outstanding Art Direction for a Miniseries or Movie Dan Leigh, James Donahue, and Ron Von Blomberg Nominated
Outstanding Main Title Design Michael Riley, Dru Nget, Dan Meehan, and Bob Swensen Nominated
Outstanding Music Composition for a Miniseries, Movie or Special (Original Dramatic Score) Marcelo Zarvos Nominated
Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Miniseries or Movie Lee Percyand Brian A. Kates Won
Outstanding Sound Editing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special Rickley Dumm, Frank Gaeta, David Grant, Tim Boggs, Catherine Harper, Chris Moriana, and Johnny Caruso Nominated
Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Miniseries or Movie T.J. O'Mara and Rick Ash Nominated
Satellite Awards Best Motion Picture Made for Television Nominated [12]
Best Actor in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television Kevin Bacon Nominated
Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic Ross Katz Nominated [13]
Television Critics Association Awards Outstanding Achievement in Movies, Miniseries and Specials Nominated [14]
2010
 American Cinema Editors Awards Best Edited Miniseries or Motion Picture for Television Lee Percy and Brian A. Kates Nominated [15]
American Society of Cinematographers Awards Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in Motion Picture/Miniseries Television Alar Kivilo Won [16]
Cinema Audio Society Awards Outstanding Achievement in Sound Mixing for Television Movies and Miniseries T.J. O'Mara and Rick Ash Nominated [17]
Critics' Choice Awards Best Picture Made for Television Won [18]
Directors Guild of America Awards Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Movies for Television or Miniseries Ross Katz Won [19]
Golden Globe Awards Best Miniseries or Television Film Nominated [20]
Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film Kevin Bacon Won
Producers Guild of America Awards David L. Wolper Award for Outstanding Producer of Long-Form Television Lori Keith Douglas, Ross Katz, Brad Krevoy, and Cathy Wischner-Sola Nominated [21]
Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie Kevin Bacon Won [22]
Writers Guild of America Awards Long Form – Adaptation Michael Strobl and Ross Katz Won [23]

References

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  1. ^Strobl, Michael R."Taking Chance Home".Blackfive.Retrieved9 March2022.
  2. ^Taking Chance reviews[dead link]atMetacritic
  3. ^Taking Chance.Rotten Tomatoes.Retrieved 1 April 2022.
  4. ^Zurawik, David (Feb 21, 2009)."Don't miss HBO's Taking Chance with Kevin Bacon"..The Baltimore Sun
  5. ^Holcomb, Brian (15 February 2009)."Review: Taking Chance".Slant Magazine.Retrieved2022-04-01.
  6. ^"Taking Chance".Wall Street Journal.News Corporation.March 14, 2009. p. 8.Retrieved2009-03-14.
  7. ^Gates, Robert.Duty: Memoirs of a Secretary at War.(New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2014). In Chapter 9: New Team, New Agenda, Old Secretary.
  8. ^Shear, Michael D. (2017-10-20)."Kelly Delivers Fervent Defense of Trump Call to Soldier's Widow".The New York Times.p. A1.
  9. ^"Past Winners & Nominees".Humanitas Prize.RetrievedJune 11,2022.
  10. ^"13th Annual TV Awards (2008-09)".Online Film & Television Association.RetrievedMay 15,2021.
  11. ^"Taking Chance".Emmys.com.Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.RetrievedJuly 13,2017.
  12. ^"2009 Satellite Awards".Satellite Awards.International Press Academy.RetrievedJuly 10,2021.
  13. ^2009 Sundance Film FestivalArchived2014-04-14 at theWayback Machinesundance.org
  14. ^"Television Critics Association Awards Celebrate 25th Anniversary".Television Critics Association.August 1, 2009. Archived fromthe originalon March 27, 2012.RetrievedJune 15,2013.
  15. ^Finke, Nikki (12 January 2010)."Nominees For Editors' ACE Eddie Awards".Deadline.Retrieved12 April2017.
  16. ^"Past Nominees & Winners".American Society of Cinematographers.RetrievedJuly 13,2017.
  17. ^"THE WINNERS AND NOMINEES FOR THE CINEMA AUDIO SOCIETY AWARDS FOR OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND MIXING FOR 2009".www.cinemaaudiosociety.org. Archived fromthe originalon 2011-10-01.
  18. ^Borys Kit; Gregg Kilday (January 15, 2010)."'Hurt Locker' tops Critics' Choice Awards ".The Hollywood Reporter.RetrievedJanuary 15,2010.
  19. ^"62nd DGA Awards".Directors Guild of America Awards.RetrievedJuly 5,2021.
  20. ^"Taking Chance – Golden Globes".HFPA.RetrievedJuly 5,2021.
  21. ^McNary, Dave (January 5, 2010)."PGA unveils nominations".Variety.RetrievedMarch 31,2020.
  22. ^"The 16th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards".Screen Actors Guild Awards.RetrievedMay 21,2016.
  23. ^"Previous Nominees & Winners: 2009 Awards Winners".Writers Guild Awards. Archived fromthe originalon 2015-05-12.Retrieved2014-05-07.
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