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Taking Chance (2009) movie poster

Characters & Themes

Taking Chance (2009) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

Release, runtime and language
2009 · 77 mins · English
Directed by
Ross Katz
Starring
John Magaro, Ann Dowd, Guy Boyd, Mike Colter, Kevin Bacon, Blanche Baker

When one falls, another brings him home. Lt. Col. Michael Strobl, a volunteer military escort accompanies the body of Lance Cpl. Chance Phelps to his hometown in Wyoming.

On this page (7)
  1. 1 Characters explained (7)
  2. 2 Where & when it takes place
  3. 3 Themes & meaning (3)
  4. 4 Character & meaning questions
  5. 5 Movie threads
  6. 6 Movies like Taking Chance
  7. 7 Every angle

7 main characters · contains spoilers

Taking Chance Characters Explained: Who Is Who

The main characters of Taking Chance (2009), heroes and villains: what drives them, how they change over the course of the story and what each of them reveals about the film's bigger ideas.

  • LtCol Mike Strobl (Kevin Bacon)

    A U.S. Marine lieutenant colonel who is tasked with escorting the remains of a fallen Marine. He is introspective, torn between envy of active duty and pride in performing a solemn duty. Throughout the journey he exhibits quiet resilience, searching for meaning in the work beyond frontline combat.

    • 🎖️ Duty
    • 🕊️ Respect
    • 💼 Reflection
  • Rich Brewer (John Magaro)

    A local veteran encountered at a Veterans club who speaks with Strobl about the gravity and honor of his duty. He embodies the lived experience of veterans and offers a practical, compassionate perspective on mourning and service.

    • 🗺️ Memory
    • 🎗️ Honor
    • 🧭 Guidance
  • Gretchen (Ann Dowd)

    Strobl’s wife, representing family life and the personal aftermath of military service. Her presence underscores the emotional stakes for those at home and the support system that sustains service members.

    • 🏡 Family
    • 💖 Support
    • 🫂 Understanding
  • Chris Phelps (Blanche Baker)

    The mother of Chance Phelps, whose grief and memory anchor the emotional core of the film. She embodies the impact of loss on the family and the enduring memory of a fallen son.

    • 🧭 Grief
    • 🕊️ Memory
    • 🫂 Compassion
  • Kelley Phelps (Emily Wickersham)

    A member of the Phelps family featured in the narrative, connected to the legacy of Chance Phelps. Her presence adds to the portrayal of family reactions to war and loss.

    • 👪 Family
    • 🕰️ Time
    • 🎭 Emotion
  • General Kruger (John Bedford Lloyd)

    A high-ranking military official who represents the chain of command overseeing the ceremonial aspects of the remains’ handling. He embodies authority and the formal structure surrounding such duties.

    • 🎖️ Command
    • 🗂️ Authority
    • 🗒️ Policy
  • Nate Strobl (Nicholas Art)

    Strobl’s son, included to highlight the personal side of the veteran’s life and the impact of service on his family. His presence underscores the generational reach of military duty and memory.

    • 👪 Family
    • 🧭 Perspective
    • 🏷️ Legacy

Last updated: April 08, 2026 at 18:18

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Setting

Where and When Does Taking Chance Take Place?

The setting of Taking Chance (2009): the year and time period, the places and locations, and how they shape the characters, the mood and the tension of the story.

Time period

2004

Set during the Iraq War era in 2004, the narrative follows a mission of dignity and remembrance across the United States. The events align with the timing of Phelps’s death in Iraq and the subsequent funeral process. The experience culminates with Strobl publishing a reflective essay in April 2004.

Location

Dover Air Force Base, Dubois, Wyoming, Baghdad, Iraq

The story begins at Dover Air Force Base as the remains are prepared for transport, then moves to the small town of Dubois, Wyoming for the funeral and memorials. It references the battlefield context near Baghdad, where Private First Class Chance Phelps was fatally wounded. The journey is framed by the rituals of military and civilian communities coming together to honor a fallen Marine.

  • 🎖️ Military
  • ⚰️ Funeral
  • 🚚 Transport

Last updated: April 08, 2026 at 18:18

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3 major themes

Taking Chance Meaning: Themes & Message Explained

What is Taking Chance (2009) really about? The emotional, social and philosophical themes the film keeps returning to, its symbolism and the message beneath the surface.

  • Duty

    The central theme is the weight and meaning of duty beyond combat. Strobl’s assignment to escort the remains is portrayed as a high honor that requires humility, discipline, and quiet resolve. The film argues that doing this respectful work is a courageous form of service that sustains the military’s humane backbone.

  • Remembrance

    Grief is processed through ritual and memory, as families, veterans, and service members confront loss together. The escorting of the body becomes a conduit for honoring a life and preserving the memory of a fallen comrade. Remembrance is shown as a collective act that connects people across distances.

  • Community

    The narrative emphasizes the social networks that support mourning and service—from the Veterans club to the airport staff and funeral rituals. It highlights how communities, formal and informal, come together to give meaning to sacrifice. The sense of shared duty reinforces a larger moral fabric surrounding military service.

Last updated: April 08, 2026 at 18:18

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Character & theme questions

Taking Chance Characters & Meaning: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask about Taking Chance (2009): who the characters really are, their relationships, what the symbols mean, where it takes place and what the movie is really about. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

Where is the movie set?

The story primarily takes place at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware, where military remains are processed, and concludes in the small town of Dubois, Wyoming for the funeral. The narrative also references the battlefield near Baghdad, Iraq where the fallen Marine was killed.

  • dover air force base
  • dubois wyoming
  • baghdad
  • setting
  • locations
Q2

When does the story take place?

The film is set in 2004 during the Iraq War. The timeline follows the actual events surrounding the death of Lance Cpl. Chance Phelps, who was killed in action near Baghdad, and follows through to his funeral and the subsequent publication of Lt. Col. Strobl's reflective essay.

  • 2004
  • iraq war
  • time period
  • era
Q3

What is the main theme of the movie?

The central theme is duty beyond combat. The film portrays escorting fallen Marines as a high honor requiring humility, discipline, and quiet resolve. It argues that this respectful work is a courageous form of service that sustains the military's humane backbone.

  • duty
  • military escort
  • service
  • honor
  • respect
Q4

How does the movie handle grief and remembrance?

Grief is processed through ritual and memory as families, veterans, and service members confront loss together. The escorting of the body becomes a conduit for honoring a life and preserving the memory of a fallen comrade, showing remembrance as a collective act that connects people across distances.

  • remembrance
  • grief
  • memorial
  • ritual
  • loss
Q5

What role does community play in the film?

The narrative emphasizes the social networks that support mourning and service, from the Veterans club to airport staff and funeral rituals. Communities, both formal and informal, come together to give meaning to sacrifice, reinforcing a larger moral fabric surrounding military service.

  • community
  • veterans
  • support
  • family
  • mourning
Q6

Who is Lt. Col. Mike Strobl?

Mike Strobl is a U.S. Marine lieutenant colonel tasked with escorting the remains of fallen Marine Chance Phelps. He is introspective and torn between envy of active duty and pride in performing this solemn duty. Throughout the journey he exhibits quiet resilience, searching for meaning in the work beyond frontline combat.

  • mike strobl
  • marine
  • escort
  • protagonist
  • character
Q7

Who was Chance Phelps?

Chance Phelps was a Marine Private First Class who was fatally wounded near Baghdad during the Iraq War. His remains were escorted by Lt. Col. Mike Strobl from Dover Air Force Base to his hometown of Dubois, Wyoming, where he was laid to rest with full military honors.

  • chance phelps
  • marine
  • fallen soldier
  • kia
Q8

What is the Veterans club scene about?

At a Veterans club, Strobl meets Rich Brewer, a local veteran who speaks with him about the gravity and honor of his duty. Brewer embodies the lived experience of veterans and offers a practical, compassionate perspective on mourning and service, connecting Strobl to the broader veteran community.

  • veterans club
  • rich brewer
  • veteran community
  • connection
Q9

What role does Strobl's wife Gretchen play?

Gretchen represents the family life and personal aftermath of military service. Her presence underscores the emotional stakes for those at home and the support system that sustains service members, showing the connection between military duty and domestic life.

  • gretchen
  • wife
  • family
  • home
  • support
Q10

Who are the Phelps family members in the film?

Chris Phelps, Chance's mother, embodies the impact of loss on the family and the enduring memory of a fallen son. Kelley Phelps represents other family members reacting to war and loss. Their grief anchors the emotional core of the film.

  • chris phelps
  • kelley phelps
  • family
  • mother
  • loss
Q11

What military honors are shown for fallen soldiers?

The film depicts the formal military ritual of honoring fallen Marines, including the preparation of remains at Dover Air Force Base, the transport process, and the funeral ceremony in Dubois. These rituals emphasize dignity, respect, and the collective duty to honor sacrifice.

  • military honors
  • funeral
  • ceremony
  • ritual
  • respect
Q12

What is the tone and emotional approach of the film?

The film maintains a consistently melancholic tone centered on the somber duty of military funeral escort. The pacing is deliberately slow, emphasizing the ritualistic nature of the process and allowing space for reflection. The intensity remains medium due to the quiet, respectful treatment of the material.

  • tone
  • mood
  • emotional
  • melancholy
  • pacing

Movie threads

More Movies Like Taking Chance, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Taking Chance tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Solemn duty journeys like in Taking Chance

Quiet, respectful stories about the weight of carrying out a final duty. Movies like Taking Chance that explore the quiet, honorable duty of escorting the fallen or completing a final mission. These similar dramas focus on respect, grief, and the solemn rituals of national service with a heavy emotional weight.

  • solemn
  • respectful
  • honorable
  • grieving
  • contemplative
  • quiet
  • Tone: melancholic, respectful, solemn
  • Pacing: slow, deliberate, ritualistic
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative follows a linear, straightforward journey where the physical act of travel is intertwined with an internal, emotional process. The protagonist, often a reserved and duty-bound individual, is tasked with a somber responsibility that leads them to confront grief, honor, and their own purpose. The conflict is internal and emotional rather than external, resolved through the completion of the ritualistic duty.

Why they belong together: These films are grouped by their shared melancholic tone, slow and deliberate pacing, and heavy emotional weight centered on themes of duty, honor, and mourning. They offer a quiet, respectful, and contemplative viewing experience focused on the dignity found in solemn rituals.

Quiet movies about grief and loss like Taking Chance

Slow, reflective films that explore processing loss with dignity and quiet respect. If you liked the respectful handling of grief in Taking Chance, explore these similar dramas. They share a slow, contemplative pace and a melancholic tone, focusing on the emotional weight of loss and the dignified rituals of mourning.

  • grieving
  • contemplative
  • somber
  • reflective
  • quiet
  • solemn
  • Tone: melancholic, somber, reflective
  • Pacing: slow, contemplative, steady
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative is character-driven and introspective, following individuals as they process a significant loss. The plot is often straightforward, avoiding complex twists in favor of emotional authenticity. The journey is internal, focusing on reflection, memory, and the subtle ways people find to honor those who are gone, leading to a resolution that is bittersweet rather than purely tragic.

Why they belong together: These movies are united by their shared mood: quiet, somber, reflective, and honorable. They prioritize emotional authenticity over plot complexity, using a slow pace and melancholic tone to explore the universal experience of grief with dignity and respect, resulting in a heavy but meaningful viewing experience.

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Movies Like Taking Chance

Similar movies to Taking Chance: the same genre, themes or kind of story. Each one comes with its own plot summary, timeline and ending explained.

Browse all movie summaries

Every angle

Taking Chance (2009) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Taking Chance in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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