There is so much that can be said about A Mighty Heart. This mind blowing, emotional film is moving from beginning to end. Angelina Jolie puts in the performance of her career. Love her or hate her, this performance is moving enough to bring you to tears. Jolie personifies the heart of talent and resembles (in that talent) a younger Meryl Streep. She, and A Mighty Heart, is simply fabulous.
February 1, 2002 is a day that Mariane Pearl will never forget. It was the day her husband, Daniel Pearl, the South Asia Bureau Chief of the Wall Street Journal was beheaded by Al Qaeda operatives. Pearl was kidnapped nine days prior to this occurrence as he traveled to one final interview before heading back home from Karachi, Pakistan.
Like the movies World Trade Center and United 93, this was a movie that needed to be made for the message that it offers. You walk into A Mighty Heart aware of what is going to happen. You are not here to learn how something comes to an end, but rather to witness the events as they unfold during those nine days of waiting, hoping, and breath-holding despair. The movie is based on Mariane’s memoirs and this movie does them justice.
Release Info:
A Mighty Heart was released on DVD on October 16, 2007 by Paramount Pictures. The DVD is offered in a simple case with artwork covering the front and back. The only release of this film prior to October 16 was the theatrical release.
A Mighty Heart Plot:
Daniel Pearl(Dan Futterman) is a Wall Street Journal journalist living in Pakistan with his wife, Mariane. On the day of what was meant to be his last interview in Pakistan, Daniel does not come home. Mariane (Angelina Jolie) realizes that something is wrong and begins making phone calls to people that can help her find her husband. Her long time friend, Asra Nomani (Archie Panjabi) remains by her side, hoping for the best, but Daniel never comes home. Within hours, the couple’s home is turned into a command center that is dedicated to getting Daniel back from wherever he disappeared.
The support for Pearl is enormous. Mariane is joined by CIA, FBI, and State Department heads. Police officers from Pakistan and the Pakistan Inter-Services are also involved. Many of Daniel and Mariane’s newspaper colleagues arrive at the house, as well. These individuals spend nine days following every lead and holding on the silent hope that Daniel will come home safely.
In some ways, A Mighty Heart resembles an emotionally charged whodunit. The group at the Pearl house goes through names and clues to determine where Daniel could have been taken. There are boards filled with pictures, Internet terminals set up, and interviews and interrogations occur. As time wears on, pictures of Daniel begin circulating. Guns are place to his head. He is seen in handcuffs, but does not seem defeated, perhaps only because he knows that his pregnant wife, Mariane will see these pictures. As if this is not bad enough, reports circulate claiming that Daniel is dead.
Mariane manages to hold it together throughout all this. She prays (Mariane is a Buddhist) when she can while the police try to find her husband. She sends Daniel text messages saying, “I Love You” even though his phone was shut off on the day he never returned home. She is the strength that allows everyone to keep it together. If she has not broken down or wavered, how could anyone else?
When the truth is discovered and Mariane (in the movie) learns what we knew all along, that Daniel is dead, your heart breaks with her. You can see her heart break on screen, and yet she manages to hold on to this incredible outlook. She is such a wonderful person with such a mighty heart.
The films director, Michael Winterbottom was going for a sense of reality, as this was something that actually did happen. By using natural light and hand held cameras, Winterbottom creates a film that holds an independent feel, but that also puts you right in the thick of things. As things happen, you are right there and in the mix of the hectic moment. Wiht this style of film making, there is a need to support Mariane and console her, despite knowing this is something she will have to deal with in her own time and way.
This event caused people from all walks of life to band together with one common goal. Americans and Pakistanis joined together in the hunt for one Jewish man. While the outcome is known, the journey is not considered a failure for this reason. As Mariane points out, several people were kidnapped in the month Daniel was and he was the only American. It was important for her to show people the world was suffering and it was not just her. Terrorists only succeed when they incite terror, but Mariane Pearl was never afraid.
Mariane Pearl held the same belief as her husband Daniel. Neither of them looked at the world or the people in it, based on color, religion, or any other prejudicial factor. Pearl sees the world as a place that needs hope and love, something that is all too often forgotten or ignored for a less important purpose. Today Mariane and her son, Adam, live in Paris.
While the cast worked phenomenally well together, Angelina Jolie was absolutely spellbinding. If she does not receive an Oscar nomination I will be shocked. Her performance is beautifully heartbreaking. When she shows her grief in learning that Daniel is dead it is hard to watch and becomes even sadder when you see Mariane’s genuine spirit at not letting his death affect her with hatred.
Angelina Jolie transforms into Mariane Pearl in a way I doubt anyone else could have. While I have seen many complaints about Jolie’s casting because she is not of the right “race” to portray Mariane (though she looks more like Pearl then like Angelina Jolie in this role), she was the real Mariane’s choice and Angelina sets out to do her proud. This role transcends race as you see the humanity behind a tragedy, which should be the focus of this film. Angelina pulled it off with such aplomb that you really see a picture of who Mariane Pearl was and is as a person, through her portrayal on screen. If you let it, this movie will haunt you. It is just that powerful.
Audio/Visual:
The visual quality is available in a 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen format. The quality is nearly perfect. There is a frantic, independent feel to it, but had it been made in any other way it would have removed the harsh reality from the film. Hollywood often reaches for the most expensive camera assuming that flashy visuals will lead to good ratings, but A Mighty Heart shows that this could not be more wrong.
Sound quality is also on the perfect end of things. With Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound things come through crisp and clear with no trouble hearing anything at an even level.
Special Features:
There are several special features available with this DVD. All of them are interesting and most of them are not your standard type of special feature. However, the nice thing is that they all have a message attached to them. The only real piece of promotional material in the features is trailers for other Paramount release. Trailers included are for An Arctic Tale, Margot at the Wedding, The Kite Runner, and Stardust.
The other special features include Committee to Protect Journalists and a PSA announcement about the Daniel Pearl Foundation. “A Journey of Passion: The Making of A Mighty Heart” is also included. This thirty minute featurette includes moments from the film and actual events. It only makes the film more realistic and heart-wrenching.
Bottom Line:
It has been said that this was a story that rocked the world. I missed it as it happened, but seeing it now certainly had an affect on me. A Mighty Heart may not offer a surprise ending if you know how the story happened, but it will place a far more intimate spin on things for people that watched it on the news.
This is a film that everyone deserves to see. It was a story that needed, especially now, to be told. In watching it, you will not only feel for Mariane, you will learn that the most important thing in life is inner strength, respect, and love for yourself and those around you. This was the most beautiful film of 2007 and the entire cast did an excellent job.
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Technorati Tags: A Mighty Heart, Mariane Pearl, Daniel Pearl, Adam, Angelina Jolie, Paramount Vantage, Movie, DVD Review, October 16, 2007, CNN, Wall Street Journal, Karachi, Pakistan
