A Mighty Heart
STARRING
Angelina Jolie, Dan Futterman, Archie Panjabi, Denis O'Hare, Irfan Khan, Will Patton
WHAT THE BOX DOESN'T TELL YOU
Michael Winterbottom did us all a favor bringing this story to the big screen. Ripped from the headlines of 2002, our nation watched and mainly waited for details of a Daniel Pearl's ongoing trials as a hostage being imprisoned privately in Pakistan. Pearl, a Wall Street Journal Bureau Chief and journalist was covering the links between Al Qaeda and the terrorist attacks on 9/11 when he sought an interview from unsavory sources who tortured and eventually killed Pearl, allegedly because he was Jewish, but more than likely because of his coverage of the events and persons of interest involved. The movie however is based on the book written by wife and expectant mother Mariane Pearl whose ordeal is detailed visually and emotionally onscreen.
WHY I WOULD RENT IT AGAIN
Jolie does and amazing job as ever-hopeful wife, Mariane; even when doubt of Pearl's proof of life is evident. She's sometimes best in international roles, and quite frankly is captivating when either angst-ridden or unsettled as opposed to clever, sexy and God forbid, funny. This is also a well directed (meaning its not over the top) and well written (meaning there aren't these abnormal scene-stealing) departures to enhance a true story.
Viewers will be pleased that the normally insignificant moments in the Pearls' relationship are included to give perspective of what it must be like to be surrounded by so many unknowns when it comes to the person you love. Additionally, the staging of the story through narration are more than effective in transplanting the audience in world that is both foreign and overwhelming. I would rate this film in my Top Ten of 2007, thus far.
WILL MY GIRLFRIEND/BOYFRIEND LIKE IT?
Hard to take at times; bets are that the performances will outweigh the magnitude of the story for most audiences.
SPECIAL FEATURES
The disc is average in this area, possibly because this is such a horrific series of events, on a personal level and just the cost of war to the rest of our country.
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