Review of A Mighty Heart (2007) by Nora%20 V — 06 Jan 2019

Daniel Pearl was a journalist who was kidnapped and executed in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. This film is a recreation of those events. Despite its curiously stoic tone, A Mighty Heart retains its capacity to fascinate and intrigue.

The film provides a lot of behind-the-scenes information about the investigation. It's also circumspect when it comes to representing Daniel's death. We see the reactions of others watching the video but Winterbottom does not feel the need to recreate the journalist's gruesome end.

He uses words, not images, to clarify Daniel's fate, and Mariane's unwillingness to view her husband's murder becomes a major point late in the film. This restraint is emblematic of the entire picture.

While A Mighty Heart may not be the most complete film that could be made about the story, its insider point-of-view gives it a vantage that a more comprehensive movie might not have. (Fascinating look at a tragedy).