A Mighty Heart [2007]
Average customer rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • Almost total lack of dramatic tension
  • The best of 2007: NO: 23
  • Not just a news story
 A Mighty Heart [2007]
Starring: Angelina Jolie , Daud Khan , Telal Saeed , Arif Khan , and Tipu Taheer
Director: Michael Winterbottom
Manufacturer: Paramount Home Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000Z63YO8
Release Date: 2008-01-28
A Mighty Heart [2007]

Amazon.co.uk Review

A Mighty Heart comes at the murder of journalist Daniel Pearl with a de-glamorised intensity: it's not a melodrama about Pearl's kidnapping and killing at the hands of Islamic terrorists, but a near-documentary about the process of trying to find him. Thus the centre of the film is not Pearl (Dan Futterman) but his wife Mariane (Angelina Jolie), a cool customer who manages--almost--to maintain her calm throughout the weeks-long ordeal. Director Michael Winterbottom is less overtly political here than in his Road to Guantanamo, although the reactions of various authorities, from U.S. officials to local Pakistani cops, give the flavour of different attitudes and approaches. Jolie, playing the Dutch-Afro-Cuban Mariane Pearl, does nicely at playing her character's control (others marvel at her sangfroid), yet she remains recognisably human throughout. By no means a star turn, the movie leaves Mariane for long stretches, and other actors shine: Irfan Khan as a detective, Denis O'Hare as Daniel Pearl's Washington Post editor, and Will Patton as a stymied diplomat. As engrossing as the movie generally is, the point of emphasising the police-procedural method is sometimes obscure. Oddly enough, by rejecting the usual string-pulling of conventional Hollywood drama, A Mighty Heart ends up without a strong point of view--as good as its pieces are. --Robert Horton

Customer Reviews:

2 out of 5 stars Almost total lack of dramatic tension.......2008-03-12

The abduction and 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 and 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 unnaturally calm, even hard, in response to her husband's fate but on hearing of his death, she breaks down with a loud and 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 all 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 and 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 and 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 and often handled badly. It stems from the film and 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 technically 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.

4 out of 5 stars The best of 2007: NO: 23.......2008-02-10

The story of Diane Pearl, a journalist, whose husband Daniel Pearl also a journalist, whilst doing some research in Pakistan he was kidnapped and brutally 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 all the more real. Within minutes of the film opening you forget all the celebrity Angelina Jolie generates and just concentrate on her terrifically real performance as the widow in such extraordinary circumstances.

The film flicks from Diane to the investigators and to Danny in the events preceding his death. When Danny dies it is handled in such an emotional and 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 and a harrowingly real this film should not be missed by any film fans all over.

4 out of 5 stars Not just a news story.......2008-01-31

This long drawn out docu-drama is probably not to everyone's taste, but will satisfy those tired of Hollywood's usual fodder. It is an intriguing account of the search for journalist Daniel Pearl after his abduction in Pakistan in 2002.

Angelina Jolie gives a capable performance as Mariane Pearl as she moves from hope to despair and Irfan Khan is impressive as the police captain leading the investigation. Archie Panjabi also provides good support as an Indian journalist out of place in a hostile Pakistan. The scene where the police captain interviews Sheikh Omar (played by the excellent Aly Khan) provides a small, but important insight into the callousness of religious extremism.

Understated acting combined with natural dialogues give this film an authenticity that ultimately makes for some uncomfortable viewing. There is no political point scoring or moralising and this reinforces the senselessness of Danny Pearl's gruesome murder, which thankfully we are spared from witnessing.
A Mighty Heart [2007] (REGION 1) (NTSC)
Average customer rating: Not rated
    		A Mighty Heart [2007] (REGION 1) (NTSC)
    Starring: Mohammed Afzal , and Mushtaq Khan
    Manufacturer: Paramount Home Video
    ProductGroup: DVD
    Binding: DVD

    All Drama All Drama | Drama | Categories | DVD | Video
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    ASIN: B000VBB6F6
    Release Date: 2007-10-16
    A Mighty Heart [2007] (REGION 1) (NTSC)
    A Mighty Heart [HD DVD] [2007]
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      		A Mighty Heart [HD DVD] [2007]
      Starring: Angelina Jolie , Daud Khan , Telal Saeed , Arif Khan , and Tipu Taheer
      Director: Michael Winterbottom
      Manufacturer: Paramount Home Entertainment
      ProductGroup: DVD
      Binding: HD DVD

      All Drama All Drama | Drama | Categories | DVD | Video
      HD DVD HD DVD | Format (binding_browse-bin) | Refinements | DVD | Video
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      3. Knocked Up [HD DVD] [2007] Knocked Up [HD DVD] [2007]
      4. Elizabeth - The Golden Age [HD DVD] [2007] Elizabeth - The Golden Age [HD DVD] [2007]
      5. Atonement [HD DVD] [2007] Atonement [HD DVD] [2007]

      ASIN: B000Z63Z3I
      Release Date: 2008-01-28
      A Mighty Heart [HD DVD] [2007]

      Amazon.co.uk Review

      A Mighty Heart comes at the murder of journalist Daniel Pearl with a de-glamorised intensity: it's not a melodrama about Pearl's kidnapping and killing at the hands of Islamic terrorists, but a near-documentary about the process of trying to find him. Thus the centre of the film is not Pearl (Dan Futterman) but his wife Mariane (Angelina Jolie), a cool customer who manages--almost--to maintain her calm throughout the weeks-long ordeal. Director Michael Winterbottom is less overtly political here than in his Road to Guantanamo, although the reactions of various authorities, from U.S. officials to local Pakistani cops, give the flavour of different attitudes and approaches. Jolie, playing the Dutch-Afro-Cuban Mariane Pearl, does nicely at playing her character's control (others marvel at her sangfroid), yet she remains recognisably human throughout. By no means a star turn, the movie leaves Mariane for long stretches, and other actors shine: Irfan Khan as a detective, Denis O'Hare as Daniel Pearl's Washington Post editor, and Will Patton as a stymied diplomat. As engrossing as the movie generally is, the point of emphasising the police-procedural method is sometimes obscure. Oddly enough, by rejecting the usual string-pulling of conventional Hollywood drama, A Mighty Heart ends up without a strong point of view--as good as its pieces are. --Robert Horton
      A Mighty Heart [HD DVD] [2007] [US Import]
      Average customer rating: Not rated
        		A Mighty Heart [HD DVD] [2007] [US Import]
        Starring: Dan Futterman , Angelina Jolie , Archie Panjabi , Mohammed Afzal , and Mushtaq Khan
        Director: Michael Winterbottom
        Manufacturer: Paramount
        ProductGroup: DVD
        Binding: HD DVD

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        1. The Hoax [2007] (REGION 1) (NTSC) The Hoax [2007] (REGION 1) (NTSC)
        2. Mr. Brooks [2007] (REGION 1) (NTSC) Mr. Brooks [2007] (REGION 1) (NTSC)
        3. Evening [2007] (REGION 1) (NTSC) Evening [2007] (REGION 1) (NTSC)
        4. Rescue Dawn [2006] (REGION 1) (NTSC) Rescue Dawn [2006] (REGION 1) (NTSC)
        5. Sherrybaby [2007] (REGION 1) (NTSC) Sherrybaby [2007] (REGION 1) (NTSC)

        ASIN: B000VDDENQ
        Release Date: 2007-10-16
        A Mighty Heart [HD DVD] [2007] [US Import]

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