Aside from casting Jolie, the bravest decision was to shoot largely in Karachi. The risk pays dividends with highly evocative location work that allows you almost to the smell that crowded city and feel the chaos.
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:21-09-2007
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
Reviews for A Mighty Heart
It will be a major injustice if Jolie doesn't receive an Oscar nod for channelling Mariane's heartbreak with such dignity and compassion.
Considering the fact that this is a story whose ghastly ending is known to the audience right from the outset, A Mighty Heart is far more compelling than ever seemed likely.
The film opts to depict a single but reverberant tragedy and does so with force, skill and a memorable central performance.
For all its kinetic energy and sweep, Michael Winterbottom's hyperactive new film is really nothing more than a very, very classy TV movie.
Topical, worthy and well made, A Mighty Heart fumbles the ball due to a complete dearth of tension and a flat-as-a-pancake performance from Jolie.
If Winterbottom struggles to shoehorn his documentary style into the form of a thriller, Jolie has no problems in bringing Mariane to life with a vibrant and vital turn. This honourable film is worth seeing for her alone.
A fitting tribute to courage under fire and stoicism in the face of senseless brutality, Winterbottom conjures up a perfect marriage of subject and technique. Good also to see Jolie acting for a change...
Finding humanity amidst inhumanity, A Mighty Heart is sobering proof that the most frightening horror stories come from the real world. Every day.
A solid, uncomfortable account of a wife’s ordeal, with a strong turn from Jolie, but strangely lacking an emotional focus.
Impressively directed drama with an Oscar-worthy performance from Angelina Jolie, but the story isn't as tense or as moving as it should have been.
Michael Winterbottom presents a documentary-style chronicle of events that is completely unsentimental and at the same time full of compassion.
Even though the story and its outcome are familiar, Winterbottom directs with such urgency that we are carried right into the film alongside the characters.
The director’s rapid-fire and choppy editing gives you a genuine feel for the many different sides of Karachi, and the urgency of the investigation.
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...
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