A MIGHTY HEART

PARAMOUNT

RELEASED 21 September 2007

In 2002, US journalist Daniel Pearl (Dan Futterman) was kidnapped in Pakistan, leaving his wife and unborn child to aid the national police force as well as the FBI in their desperate search for him. Following a fragile trail of mobile phone calls, unclear motives, and political wrangling, the strength of Mariane Pearl (Angelina Jolie) will be tested beyond what any mother, expectant or otherwise, would ever wish to endure.

Directed by Michael Winterbottom (‘A Cock and Bull Story’), ‘A Mighty Heart’ is based on the book written by Mariane Pearl about the true story that unfolded five years ago. Shot in a documentary style, employing captions to help explain the sometimes complicated chain of events, this is a depressing tale that won’t make a good Friday night out. However, it is strongly acted, the story is terribly sad but full of courage of the spirit, and it’s really gripping too, even if you know the outcome (which I imagine you should do). There’s about thirty minutes of chase and interrogation towards the end which I really enjoyed, something that just doesn’t feel right considering the subject matter. Does this film have any right to feel like ‘entertainment’?

THREE OUT OF FIVE