A Mighty Heart

Angelina Jolie stars as Mariane Pearl, wife of slain journalist Daniel Pearl, in director Michael Winterbottom's adaptation of Mariane's memoir recounting the abduction and murder of her husband (played in the film by Dan Futterman) by Pakistani militants. It was on January 23, 2002, that Mariane Pearl's life took a grim and unanticipated turn that no one could have seen coming. The South Asia Bureau Chief for the Wall Street Journal, Daniel Pearl, was in Pakistan with his pregnant wife, Marian

Jolie is very effective as the center of a well-crafted procedural regarding the disappearance of a reporter in post-9/11 Pakistan. Winterbottom choses to edit this into more of a Greengrass-like thriller, which may serve to take away from some of the emotional umph it could have had.

Jolie is a slight distraction from one of the most perfect demonstrations I've seen of how to build tension in a film. Winterbottom puts on a clinic, which is especially impressive given that the outcome was a forgone conclusion. My guts were in a vice for 90% of this. I was not expecting to enjoy it as much as I did.

This one really got to me, powerful film thanks to some very good acting, a realistic and tense atmosphere and of course a tragic story. The final act is done really well. This film is worth watching for sure.

Angelina Jolie is exceptionally good in this. She is convincing in the role as Mariane Pearl, wife of the reporter Daniel Pearl. Even her french accent seemed entirely authentic. The real story is quite sad. The movie retells their lives in flashbacks. It is quite well made. Great production quality, good music and sound, and excellent acting. Even though the story is well known and predictable it does not fail to engage and entertain. Jolie is entirely awesome.

This is one of those roles where casting can't help but trump acting. Like Elizabeth Taylor as Cleopatra, Angelina Jolie IS Mariane Pearl--and that marquee-size "is" gets in the way, not of her performance, but of our ability to suspend disbelief and watch it.

Jolie's best performance - in an agonizing story.

I like a lot about it, but it's perplexingly 'boring'.

Admirable attempt at creating a realistic portrayal of an awful story. Somewhat effective, but something was lacking: perhaps the "realism" itself, in combination with the editing style, deprived the viewer of a clear sense of the characters. Jolie was adequate but not outstanding, and there was perhaps a feeling that the camera was "on" her without fail in order to give the viewer the chance to see some big-time "Acting". Or perhaps it was the earnestness of the presentation, however justified.

Passes the time.

Nothing in A Mighty Heart conveys the magnanimity of its title.

"Bad Michael Winterbottom movies are not uncommon, but none have been as useless as A Mighty Heart." - Ed Gonzalez

Good, like 9 Songs but sexier, or a funnier version of The Trip. That's me commenting on Michael Winterbottom's varied and outstanding career. I don't envy many people, but he comes across as a true original.

A believable and exciting portrayal of this shocking incident. Though it has some problems in the third act, it always remains exciting and rhythmic. An astounding performance by Jolie, and Irfan Khan carves out a niche in your memory as the lead investigator.

this could have been better!!!!! its a great story but is wasted by average direction and wrongly edited scenes!!!! angelina jolie's first 'meaningful' movie!!!!

well acted recreation of a very small slice of the war on terror. Much respect for Marianne not giving in to the bastards

I mean, seriously, is this an advertisement for how moralistically tuned Americans are? This just felt like the whole 'us vs them' 'we're better than you' stuff you see on the playground.

Movie about calling phones.. If you like your cell, you might like this movie. I expected a lot more because the story is a very good material for serious drama.

"A solid, uncomfortable account of a wife's ordeal, with a strong turn from Jolie, but strangely lacking an emotional focus."

features a terrific performance by Angelina Jolie as Mariane Pearl....

after wot happened to daniel pearl, his widow could have decided to hate all muslims, she didnt-and angeline jolie pretty much conveyed this convincingly...

Interesting story, bad film.

okay movie

Angelina Jolie gives her best performance yet.

This movie is highly political and shows clearly how much there's still places where is too much of people in too small area and that no one know for sure of their whereabouts. This movie is also a family movie - there's everywhere small kids (Angelina herself is pregnant) and it's also about husbands and cousins and other relatives. And because of all of this I was a bit surprised how anemic the story was. Yeah, there was some bursts of emotions, but entire flick was still coldish.

All the haters saying Angelina Jolie can't act (haven't seen them on Criticker) should watch this film. She really does a splendid job as Mariane, a very touching story.

Jolie has a focused forcefulness, locking in on the determination and intelligence in her role. She plays everything with such finely tempered care that the inevitable big moments feel properly earned instead of tacked on as little gifts to the actor. The film as a whole is less successful. Winterbottom always comes at his films with a clear intellectualism and nicely honed sense of craft and usually emerges with something oddly soulless. This film is right in line with that.

Very tragic story and the way Jolie portrayed her character was so touching. I actually felt her pain and suffering.

What Jolie does with her character is remarkable, as well as the excellent direction and solid editing and camerawork.

Powerful thanks to Winterbottom's effective narration and Jolie's wonderful performance.

I was initially skeptical of even seeing this movie. It was a pretty good movie, with each person playing their roles relatively well. If you're familiar with the subject (as I was), you know how the film is going to end. Angelina's shreaks of agony upon discovering her husband's death are pretty realistic, and very sympathetic. If nothing else, the film gives an accurate depiction of the barbaric state of life in Pakistan and the difficulty foreigners have in protecting themselves.

Fantastic work by one and all, but I'm not sure it's gonna find an audience...