“A Mighty Heart” (Paramount Vantage)
Heart Breaker
“A Mighty Heart” is the screen version of Marianne Pearl’s book A MIGHTY HEART. It is the story of the kidnapping and murder of her husband Danny Pearl. Angelina Jolie and Dan Futterman play the Pearls and the movie is a heartbreaking look at the events that surrounded this tragic occurrence. As a movie the film is slow, confusing and depressing. It is a testimony to the fact that tragic events are not always served well by being brought to the screen.
The movie starts with the Pearls living in Karachi. They are both journalists working there. Danny Pearl is associated with the “Wall Street Journal.” One morning he kisses his pregnant wife goodbye and heads out for an interview. He never returns.
The film covers the days and weeks before the fate of Danny Pearl is known. Many people are trying to find him but the trail is cold and the sources developed are not fruitful. Eventually the whole situation turns tragic.
The movie as directed by Michael Winterbottom has an almost documentary feel to it. Scenes of the investigation seem disjointed and the nature of what is happening is never truly revealed. The fact that many scenes have subtitles and the accented dialects when English is spoken makes understanding difficult.
For those who know how the situation ends in advance, the whole road of the film is to tragedy. This adds to the difficulty of the movie and its ponderous tone. Only Jolie’s strong acting skills make the movie more than it seems.
Still even in playing Marianne, Jolie is stuck with a woman who comes across as cold and aloof. In the flashback sequences between Marianne and Danny she shows some warmth, but in the present time she is coping with tragedy and her coping skills keep her somewhat removed.
The movie is rated R for profanity and violence.
“A Mighty Heart” has a noble purpose – to honor the memory of Danny Pearl. Still as entertainment, even in an educational aspect, it is a hard film to watch. It is so slow and so ponderous that you find yourself wondering how tedious it is going to get.
Jolie and the rest of the cast acquit themselves with dignity and skill but they can’t make the movie more than it is – a slowly paced tribute to a man who tried to make a difference.
I scored “A Mighty Heart” a heartfelt 6 out of 10.
