Those willing to stay with this often demanding film, though, will find an unusually balanced view that celebrates not only Mariane's courage, but the Pakistanis who fought valiantly on her behalf.
A Mighty Heart (2007)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:181
Fresh:139
Rotten:42
Average Rating:7/10
Consensus: Angelina Jolie conveys the full emotional range of a woman in a desperate situation in A Mighty Heart, an urgent yet tactful film about a difficult subject.
Theatrical Release:Jun 22, 2007 Wide
Box Office: $9,093,521
Synopsis: Prolific director Michael Winterbottom (24-HOUR PARTY PEOPLE) takes an unusual turn by helming A MIGHTY HEART--a studio picture starring none other than Angelina Jolie. Jolie stars as Mariane... Prolific director Michael Winterbottom (24-HOUR PARTY PEOPLE) takes an unusual turn by helming A MIGHTY HEART--a studio picture starring none other than Angelina Jolie. Jolie stars as Mariane Pearl, the widow of WALL STREET JOURNAL reporter Daniel Pearl. Daniel was kidnapped and executed in Pakistan in 2002, and Winterbottom's film centers on the frantic activities leading up to his death. Fellow journalist Mariane revs into action as soon as the disappearance of her husband is announced, calling on the FBI and experts in terrorism to help in the desperate search. With the media circling around the story like hawks, Mariane endures a very public display of grief, and her plight is perfectly captured by the unlikely alliance of Winterbottom and Jolie. The film was shot mostly in Karachi and uses locations that Daniel was known to have visited, adding a heady dose of authenticity to the proceedings. Winterbottom uses shaky, hand-held cameras, which add to the feeling of chaos as multiple organizations descend on Pakistan in the quest to find Daniel; fortunately the director uses some much-needed on-screen captions to make sure viewers are up to speed on who everyone is. A MIGHTY HEART is tough, emotional viewing that will be challenging (yet rewarding) for many audiences, even those who are already familiar with this heartbreaking story. [More]
Starring: Angelina Jolie, Dan Futterman, Irrfan Khan, Archie Panjabi
Starring: Angelina Jolie, Dan Futterman, Irrfan Khan, Archie Panjabi, Will Patton, Denis O'Hare
Director: Michael Winterbottom
Director: Michael Winterbottom
Screenwriter: John Orloff
Producer: Brad Pitt, Andrew Eaton, Dede Gardner
Composer: Harry Escott, Molly Nyman
Studio: Paramount Vantage
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Reviews for A Mighty Heart
Mariane Pearl is a Spartan wife with a steel base throughout the horrific ordeal skillfully directed by Michael Winterbottom.
Taking his cue from Mariane’s memoir, Winterbottom (no stranger to the “War on Terror”—see last year’s The Road to Guantánamo) wisely structures A Mighty Heart like a procedural.
Winterbottom takes it to the opposite extreme, turning into a docudrama and following that genre's pre-established format.
The film opts to depict a single but reverberant tragedy and does so with force, skill and a memorable central performance.
Winterbottom's aversion to sentimentality doesn't mean you won't be moved by A Mighty Heart.
As a documentarylike account of one woman's ordeal in the midst of an international media frenzy, the film is visceral, alive and very scary.
A labyrinth of corruption and buzz words that resonate with anxiety and afford some narrative confusion.
"A Mighty Heart" is as worthy a tribute to Danny and Mariane Pearl's life a dramatic feature can be.
a panicked maelstrom of chases and false leads that all lead to the same murderous finale
Angelina Jolie continues to prove her acting is worth more discussion than her personal life. It's not always fun to watch, but it's an important piece of work.
The steely-eyed seriousness of the enterprise -- the refusal to coddle moviegoers with warm characters or even attractive cinematography -- is alienating.
Despite its curiously stoic tone, A Mighty Heart retains its capacity to fascinate and intrigue
A movie that captures the frustration of not knowing, the unconsummated urge to comprehend.
The foundation of A Mighty Heart, a devastatingly emotional movie, rests on the splendid performance by Angelina Jolie as (Mariane) Pearl.
For all its kinetic energy and sweep, Michael Winterbottom's hyperactive new film is really nothing more than a very, very classy TV movie.
What's interesting about A Mighty Heart is not the political arena, but the individual human beings inside it.
Latest News for A Mighty Heart
January 29, 2009:
Screenwriter Set for Ian Fleming Biopic ![]()
"Fleming," the Ian Fleming biopic being produced by Leonardo DiCaprio's Appian Way, has itself a writer: John Orloff, who penned "A Mighty Heart." More...
September 30, 2008:
Trailer & Poster review ![]()
More...
December 21, 2007:
Awards Mania: Spirits, SAGs Get Waivers, Announce Nominations; Uncertainty Surrounds Golden Globes
Just when you think awards season can't get any awards-ier, here come two more sets of nominations! More...
December 14, 2007:
Atonement, Control Lead London Film Critics Noms
The London Critics Circle has announced the nominees for its year-end awards, with Anton Corbijn's Control and Joe Wright's Atonement leading the pack at eight nominations apiece. More...
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 36% 36% | Angels & Demons |
| 25% 25% | Four Christmases |
| 68% 68% | Funny People |
| 95% 95% | Star Trek |
| 14% 14% | The Ugly Truth |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 83% 83% | Harry Potter and the H… |
| 67% 67% | Public Enemies |
| 75% 75% | Julie & Julia |
| 95% 95% | The Cove |
| 85% 85% | World's Greatest Dad |
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