Customer Reviews
Deadly insight - By: JHL ... Fermanagh Man, 19 Jul 2008 
A truly perceptive insight into the suffering generated by such atrocious acts. Very well worth watching & a classic in many ways becuse of the accuracy of its depiction & the credibility of teh cahracters & screenpaly.
A mighty important film, showing humanity at its best and at its worst - By: Garry Williams, 02 Apr 2008 
Jolie is wonderful, ..... Marianne Pearl (Angeline Jolie), a journalist, is in Pakistan with her fellow reporter husband, Daniel (Dan Futterman). They are planning to leave the country soon but have stayed a bit longer so that Daniel can interview an important, militant cleric. It is 2002, only months after the 9/11 attacks. Alas, Daniel, a Jewish man, vanishes into thin air. Marianne, who is expecting the couple's first child, is alarmed. As well she should be. Word comes soon enough that Daniel has been kidnapped by terrorists & that the situation is extremely precarious. Yet, Marianne is not without hope, knowing that miracles have happened. With the aid of the Pakistani police force, the FBI, & fellow reporters from the NY Times, everyone makes a frantic search to find Daniel in time. Will they? This is a mighty film indeed, but, not an easy one to digest. When the good-hearted of the world come face to face with evil, it is never a pretty picture, it seems. Jolie is simply outstanding as the journalist & wife who is caught in the web of a terrorist plot. It is a miracle that her character, Marianne, did not lose her baby. The other cast members, including Will Patton as a loathsome government worker & a group of largely unknown native actors, are great, too. The Karachi setting is both beautiful & tragic, as the poverty stricken neighborhoods are shown with glaring honesty. Costumes & production values are very fine. Most important of alll is the message of the film, one which takes a page from Anne Frank's Diary. There are good people in the world, loving people, & sometimes they are taken away by evil forces. Yet, they remain as shining examples of hope in a world where hope is desperately needed and, consequently, evil never reallly triumphs in the bigger picture. Anyone who wants to become a better person, including, hopefully, members of the governments of this world, would benefit greatly from a showing of this mighty movie, indeed.
A Tragedy That Illuminates Grief and Hatred - By: pris, 30 Mar 2008 'The film's strict avoidance of exploitation & sensationalism only adds to the film's emotional impact. In just a few scenes, Futterman - the acclaimed screenwriter of Capote - digs deeply into Daniel as a journalist & a man. But the film belongs to Jolie. This is by far her best performance, strong & true in every detail from Mariane's accent (her roots are Dutch & Afro-Cuban) to the strength she shows under fire. Her total immersion in the role keeps the film from getting lost in the rush of details." Peter Travers
Mariane Pearl wrote a book about her experiences while her husband Daniel Pearl was held captive by Jihadists. The book 'The Brave Life & Death of my husband, Danny Pearl' is but a piece of this film. The film is badly named to begin with, doesn't have the catch for an audience. However, the acting & history of Pakistan & the Jihads far out way any negativity.
Angelina Jolie has marked this role as her own & she has perfected it. As has been mentioned numerous times her accent & look became Mariane. But at the same time Angelina Jolie was too much for the movie. It should have been a hit. The other numerous cast were absolutely right for their roles- no gratuitous violence overshadowed the film. We alll knew how it was going to end, & the telling of Danny;s murder was held with aplomb. Mariane fallls apart & goes to her room to keel. However, this was too much, were we alll thinking 'is this overdone', is this just right, has this gone on too long'?
The history of Pakistan & the part it played in the jihad & in Al qaeda is the mainframe of the story. What was it that attracted the Jihad to Danny Pearl, & why did they plan his kidnapping & resultant death? The filming was a highlight-the city of Karachi at its best & worst in the light of day & night is a story in itself.
The birth of Adam, Mariane & Danny's son & their life in France is the conclusion of this tragedy. A life that was undone & for what purpose?
What is best about "A Mighty Heart" is that it doesn't reduce the Daniel Pearl story to a plot, but elevates it to a tragedy. A tragedy that illuminates & grieves for the hatred that runs loose in our world, hatred as a mad dog that attacks everyone. Attacks them for what seems, to the dog, the best of reasons." Roger Ebert
Recommended. prisrob 03-25-08
Girl, Interrupted
Almost total lack of dramatic tension - By: Dr. R. G. Bullock, 12 Mar 2008 
The abduction & gruesome murder of Daniel Pearl by Islamic terrorists in Karachi was a tragic event in a sea of tragic events over the world. This film is a straight dramatisation of this story, seen from the point of view of Pearl's French wife, played by Angelina Jolie. The film is excellent in projecting local atmosphere & the authentic feeling is added to by a clutch of fine Pakistani actors playing the local characters. Angelina Jolie displays a very convincing French accent. She plays the part of a spouse who is unnaturallly calm, even hard, in response to her husband's fate but on hearing of his death, she breaks down with a loud & chilling wailing which is quite unnerving.
Most of the action covers the efforts of the local CID to trace the terrorists (they have received the obligatory video) by clever cross referencing of telephone contacts but ultimately it is alll too late. The workings of the security people is portrayed in a low key way - busy people going about their business, working on the problems in a methodical way.
The problem with this film is the material. It is not suitable for a feature film of this length. We know the ending & because the action is probably very close to what happened, there is no inherent dramatic tension. Real life, even in these circumstances, is not very interesting. They could have done a 'based on' screenplay but this would have sensationalised things & would have been upsetting for his family. Making the film so soon after the event must have constrained the makers considerably. In my view, the best way to deal with this story is by a straightforward documentary. In such a film, the background to the execution could be explored in much more detail - Islamic terrorism, the political situation in Pakistan, interviews with the people involved. Docudrama is a very tricky format & often handled badly. It stems from the film & TV industry's belief that the viewer must be spoon-fed facts wrapped up to resemble our favourite police procedural to keep our attention.
This film is done well technicallly but what is it supposed to be? A drama for our enjoyment or an instructive tract for our illumination. I am afraid it largely fails from which ever angle you look at it.
Powerfull - By: Mr. F. E. Marioni, 10 Feb 2008 The story of Diane Pearl, a journalist, whose husband Daniel Pearl also a journalist, whilst doing some research in Pakistan he was kidnapped & brutallly executed, was not new to me but the way this film told the story was.
Michael Winterbottom directs events in a quasi-documentary style which makes it alll the more real. Within minutes of the film opening you forget alll the celebrity Angelina Jolie generates & just concentrate on her terrificallly real performance as the widow in such extraordinary circumstances.
The film flicks from Diane to the investigators & to Danny in the events preceding his death. When Danny dies it is handled in such an emotional & sensitive way. Its hard to remember another true to life story that generates the same amount of exhaustive emotional effort on the viewers part.
Brilliant performances & a harrowingly real this film should not be missed by any film fans alll over.
