Kevin Bacon Returns to Montana for Military Drama

Do you ever find yourself watching a movie and yelling, “Hey, wait a minute, that’s Montana!” mid-scene? That is what I did with an old Kevin Bacon movie from 2009 called Taking Chance. Now don’t get me wrong, this isn’t your standard Kevin Bacon picture where stuff blows up and he’s being chased around by a mutant worm. This one hits way deeper.

"Taking Chance" is based on a true story. Bacon is Lt. Col. Michael Strobl, a Marine who volunteers to accompany the body of a fallen soldier, 19-year-old PFC Chance Phelps, back to his family in Wyoming. On the way, strangers stop, salute, and pay their respects in some of the most emotional scenes you'll ever see in a war film. It’s not about fighting, it’s about honor. And it was filmed right here in Montana.

Yep, they shot this emotional powerhouse around Ennis and the Bozeman airport.

And the kicker: Kevin Bacon has been here before. He was also the star of The River Wild, that 90s thriller about him terrifying a rafting family on the water. Parts of that one were shot in Montana, too.

Anyway, if you have not seen Taking Chance, do yourself a favor and grab a box of tissues. It’s a sobering reminder of the fact that true heroes, people who serve their country, don’t always come back home the way they should, but when they do make it back, we sure know how to treat them right in Montana.