What Is Taking Chances About?
The premise of Taking Chances in 267 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
In a world where the distant echoes of war ripple through ordinary lives, a young girl grapples with fears far beyond her years. Kiek lives with a constant, gnawing anxiety—her father is deployed to a war zone, and every day brings fresh worry about whether he will return safely. While other children her age concern themselves with school and play, she carries the weight of an absent parent and the unspoken dread that hangs over families of service members.
Her response to this overwhelming uncertainty is both strange and unexpectedly poetic. Convinced that tragedy follows patterns and that she can somehow influence fate through improbable logic, Kiek devises a plan rooted in a child’s understanding of probability and coincidence. She becomes determined to find a dead dog and a dead mouse, operating under a belief that defies rational explanation: if she can accumulate these specific losses, the universe will somehow spare her from the third—a dead father. In her mind, no one she knows could possibly possess all three.
The film explores the fragile boundary between magical thinking and genuine grief, following Kiek as she navigates a world where adults offer comfort but cannot promise certainty. Her quest is both heartbreaking and oddly hopeful, revealing how children process the unimaginable through frameworks they can control. The tone balances gentle humor with emotional depth, capturing the resilience of a young mind reaching for agency in circumstances entirely beyond her influence.
Through Kiek’s journey, the story illuminates the quiet struggles of those left behind when loved ones serve in dangerous places—and the unexpected ways love, fear, and hope intertwine.
What Happens in Taking Chances?
The complete story of Taking Chances, from the first scene to the last, in 450 words (about 2 minutes). Spoilers throughout.
Spoilers ahead
Based on the recollections of U.S. Marine Lieutenant Colonel Michael Strobl, the film follows a quiet, deeply personal journey through duty, memory, and the meaning of service. Strobl volunteers to oversee the remains of a fallen Marine, choosing to take on a task that military protocol would typically assign to an NCO, and he escorts the body of Private First Class Chance Phelps from Dover Air Force Base to Dubois, Wyoming. This decision sets the stage for a meditation on responsibility, loss, and the weight of ritual in times of war.
As the procession moves from the base to the heartland, the narrative paints a respectful portrait of Phelps, a Marine whose character and camaraderie leave a lasting impression on those who served with him. Strobl attends both the funeral and the memorial service, witnessing the profound impact of a soldier’s sacrifice on family, friends, and the wider unit. Through these ceremonies, the film reveals how communities rally around grief, offering solace while honoring the life that was cut short.
After spending time at the local Veterans club, Strobl opens up to the veteran in charge, confessing that he feels a certain envy for the active duty experiences Phelps had in the field. The elder veteran responds with gravity, gently urging him to reconsider his perspective and to recognize that the duty Strobl performs—protecting and guiding grieving families through their darkest hours—carries its own high honor. This exchange becomes a turning point, inviting Strobl to reframe his sense of purpose and to embrace the quiet, essential work that sustains both service members and their communities.
With that renewed sense of duty, Strobl fulfills his responsibilities with care, ensuring the remains are treated with dignity and that the families receive a proper farewell. He returns home to his wife and their two young daughters, carrying the resonance of the journey in his thoughts. The experience, and the emotions it stirs, eventually leads him to write an essay about what he witnessed—the feelings, the people, and the lessons learned—sharing it on the Blackfive blog on April 23, 2004, where it finds a wider audience and sparks dialogue about the human side of war.
The film ultimately invites viewers to contemplate the balance between frontline action and the quieter forms of service that sustain a military community. It presents a compassionate, unflinching look at grief, duty, and the ways in which one man’s choice to honor a fallen comrade can illuminate the broader human cost of conflict. The storytelling stays grounded in reality and memory, offering a poignant tribute to both the sacrifices made by service members and the personal growth that can arise from bearing witness to their lives and their losses.
Taking Chances Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
12 key events in the order they happen, from “Reflection on duty and warfare” to “Publication and reception”. 8 events name a place, across 3 locations.
- 1
Reflection on duty and warfare
Lt. Col. Michael Strobl recalls the tension between performing the solemn funeral duties for fallen Marines and his own appetite for active combat. He questions where true meaning lies within service and wonders how to reconcile compassion with ambition. The recollection sets the emotional lens for the rest of the story.
- 2
Choosing the funeral assignment
Strobl decides to take the assignment of overseeing the remains of a Private First Class, breaking the typical protocol that would pair an NCO with the duty. He recognizes the weight of bringing a soldier home and the potential impact on grieving families. The choice marks a turning point in his understanding of honor.
- 3
Leaving for the journey with the remains
He accompanies the remains from Dover Air Force Base, preparing to transport them to their final resting place. The task places him in the quiet, ceremonial duties that contrast with battlefield memories. The journey begins as a personal test of empathy and duty.
Where:Dover Air Force Base
- 4
Arrival in Dubois, Wyoming
The remains arrive in Dubois, Wyoming, where the community and the unit gather to honor a fallen Marine. Strobl steps into the role of facilitator for the family’s grieving process and the broader commemoration. The setting shifts from the national stage to a small town bearing witness to loss.
Where:Dubois, Wyoming
- 5
Funeral proceedings for Phelps
Strobl attends Phelps’s funeral, witnessing the respect and camaraderie among Marines as they bid farewell. The ceremony emphasizes service, sacrifice, and the quiet dignity of those who remain behind. He begins to perceive the depth of the role he has chosen.
Where:Dubois, Wyoming
- 6
Memorial service and reflection
He also attends the memorial service, where memories of Phelps and his wartime experiences are shared. The service becomes a meditation on the cost of war and the human connections that endure after combat. Strobl’s perspective continues to soften toward the duties he performs.
Where:Dubois, Wyoming
- 7
Conversation at the Veterans club
After drinks at the local Veterans club, Strobl confesses envy for the active duty that Phelps experienced in the field. He voices a longing for the adrenaline and purpose of frontline service. The talk triggers a stark re-evaluation of what it means to serve.
Where:Dubois, Wyoming
- 8
Warrior elder’s admonition
The ranking veteran counsels him to reconsider his words, insisting that serving grieving families is a high honor. He argues that Strobl’s duty is essential to the wounded and the fallen, even if it seems less glorious. The advice reframes Strobl’s understanding of valor.
Where:Dubois, Wyoming
- 9
Fulfillment of duty
Strobl resolves to complete the final rites for the fallen soldier and ensures that the remains are treated with dignity. He recognizes that this act of care is a legitimate and noble form of service. The moment marks a quiet triumph of purpose over envy.
Where:Dubois, Wyoming
- 10
Return home
Having completed the duty, Strobl returns home to his wife and young daughters. The family life contrasts with the solemn responsibilities he carried, underscoring the balance in a Marine’s life. The journey back signals a shift from public ritual to private life.
Where:Home
- 11
Writing the experience
Strobl writes about the entire experience, the emotions he felt, and the people he met. The essay translates personal memory into a larger reflection on service and sacrifice. The piece becomes a witness to the human side of military duty.
- 12
Publication and reception
The essay is published on the Blackfive blog on 23 April 2004 and quickly gains traction online. It travels beyond personal memory to touch many readers with its insights. The spreading response reinforces the idea that honoring the fallen resonates widely.
When:23 April 2004
Where and When Is Taking Chances Set?
Taking Chances is set in Dover Air Force Base, Dubois and Wyoming (2004). Here is why the time and place matter to the story.
When
2004
The events occur during the Iraq War, with a key moment in April 2004 when a Marine is fatally wounded near Baghdad. The narrative shifts from frontline action to the rituals surrounding death, emphasizing duty, grief, and remembrance. Set in a contemporary post-9/11 context, the story reflects the ongoing cycle of deployment, loss, and memorialization.
Where
Dover Air Force Base, Dubois, Wyoming
The setting centers on a U.S. military burial process, beginning at Dover Air Force Base and moving to a small town in Wyoming. In Dubois, the remains are laid to rest and the funeral and memorial services unfold, highlighting the intimate rituals around losing a comrade. The journey from a military hub to a rural community underscores the personal impact of war on families and the duty of those who carry the remains.
- 🎖️ Military setting
- 🇺🇸 American context
What Are the Themes of Taking Chances?
3 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Duty and Honor, Grief and Healing and Memory and Remembrance.
-
01
Duty and Honor
The central arc follows a Marine officer choosing a nonstandard duty to honor a fallen comrade, showing how professional obligations can intersect with personal growth. The act of arranging funerals becomes a form of service equal in weight to battlefield action. It highlights that honoring the dead is a vital responsibility within the military ethos.
-
02
Grief and Healing
Grief is portrayed through the quiet rituals surrounding funeral rites, offering a path toward acceptance for the narrator and families. The memorials and shared moments at the veterans club provide spaces for healing and connection. The story suggests that processing loss is essential for those who continue to live with the aftermath of war.
-
03
Memory and Remembrance
The narrative emphasizes how memories of the fallen soldier endure through stories, personal reflections, and online essays. The author later published a piece about the experience on Blackfive, illustrating how remembrance can extend beyond personal memory to public discourse. Remembrance is presented as an active practice that sustains the living and honors the dead.
What Kind of Film Is Taking Chances?
Melancholic in tone, with slow pacing and a straightforward story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Melancholic
- Pacing
- Slow
- Story
- Straightforward
- Intensity
- Medium
- Ending
- Bittersweet
A somber and deeply reflective drama that follows a soldier's emotional journey while escorting a fallen comrade home, creating a melancholic atmosphere of honor and loss.
- somber
- reflective
- grieving
- solemn
- honorable
- melancholic
- military duty
- grief and loss
- honoring the dead
- war casualties
Content notes: war violence, military death, grief and loss.
Quiz
How well do you remember Taking Chances? Test yourself on the story.
