Winterbottom has chosen to emphasize naturalism and realistic detail, with a minimum of sentimental content.
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
[The]lack of focus on Pearl is what eventually makes me suspect that ... Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt shaped this story into a vanity production
The most interesting thing about A Mighty Heart is why it became a mediocre film.
a superb reminder of Jolie’s talents, and probably our first bonafide Oscar contender of the year.
Too focused on events, timelines, and connections to find an emotional core to the story.
About a search and not a discovery; about the value of an individual life and the reality of multitudes.
It made me feel uncomfortable (almost itchy), craning my neck to look around obstructions in hopes of catching something hidden, possibly just out of frame.
A tough film grounded in modern foreign policy that puts a face on those who are collateral damage in this war on terror.
The best thing about it is the very thing that's most potentially maddening to moviegoers. Movies and TV offer US a steady diet of reductive emotional sensationalism but this one, like its protagonist, keeps a cool head even in horrific situations.
This is a filmmaker who respects his audience enough to let us decide for ourselves, and Jolie likewise shows us respect by playing Mariane without overblown affectation.
The signal achievement of A Mighty Heart, somewhat at odds with its affirmative title, is the sense it creates of universal complicity.
The movie does a good job of letting you know what it must feel like having a loved one held for ransom, then killed.
Blame the demands of a high-profile production on the sensibilities of someone who, success or failure, has at least never been this boring.
While the movie does indeed work as a thriller, it’s more the tale of a state of mind that is fierce and vigorous until it shatters into a million pieces.
Jolie delivers a performance that's astonishing in its control.... she's dialed down her natural histrionics and gone for something far quieter and deeper than expected.
A Mighty Heart is scrupulously journalistic, a would-be documentary that tells in rigorous detail but explains almost nothing. Who, what, when and where are covered, but not why.
A forthright and compelling film but Angelina Jolie has become so notable, I could never forget she was playing a role.
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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