Movie: A Mighty Heart

Movie Release Date: June 22, 2007
DVD Release Date: October, 16, 2007
Genre: Drama
Running Time: 108 Minutes
Director: Michael Winterbottom
Cast: Angelina Jolie, Dan Futterman, Archie Panjabi

In early 2002, Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl was kidnapped and beheaded (an act that was photographed, videotaped, and subsequently spread on the Internet) by a Pakistani militant group, shortly after the 9/11 attacks. A Mighty Heart is a film based on the memoir written by Daniel's wife Mariane, about the search for Daniel in the city of Karachi, Pakistan. The film, as politically charged as it could have been, pretty much remains politics free, choosing to focus on the frenzied and tense search for Daniel by Mariane, the US Consulate in Karachi, and the Pakistani police.

We all know the outcome of the story and know that there is no hope for Daniel even while Mariane, the investigators, and his co-workers attack every lead and cling onto every bit of hope throughout the search. But what makes this film compelling is the pacing and the camerawork, which help build the tension leading up to the outcome. The way the film is shot is almost like a documentary; while every frame must have been planned and organized, it almost doesn't seem like it. Angelina Jolie has stated in numerous interviews that she was thrown off by Winterbottom's approach to filming; the camera would follow her constantly, forcing her to stay in character the entire time. This approach to shooting allows us a deeper and intimate look into Mariane and her inner circle during this tumultuous time, which is a view we haven't gotten to see before. The film also shows how difficult it is to find Pearl in a city as hectic as Karachi, where so many are so unwilling to be up front about their sources for fear of retaliation.

A Mighty Heart works because of its lead, Angelina Jolie. There was a lot of controversy when she was first cast because Mariane Pearl is biracial, while Angelina is obviously not. Also the fact that Jolie's real-life boyfriend Brad Pitt was a producer on the film led to grumblings of nepotism casting. All of these controversies should be laid to rest with her outstanding performance in the film. Jolie's performance is moving, powerful, and pretty much perfect. Mariane Pearl herself has been criticized in the past for not being 'emotional' enough during the search for her missing husband, but you see her vulnerability and fear behind closed doors, embodied by Jolie's performance. The scene in which she reacts to the news of Daniel's death (this is not a spoiler; you all know this is what happens) is especially moving. Jolie failed to receive an Academy Award nomination for this role, but her work in the film has been hailed as her best, and I agree. A Mighty Heart is an important film, and definitely worth checking out.

Grade: B+