Review of A Mighty Heart (2007) by Tibor B — 08 Dec 2008

Excellent drama, joining the increasing number of intelligent dramas and documentaries exploring the many complex repercussions of 9/11 and the "war on terror". Winterbottom is an eclectic, chameleon-like director but seems most at home in this urgent, docu-drama type style, combining movie star performances with real-life locations and handheld shooting styles.

Jolie is excellent in the lead role of Mariane Pearl, wife of kidnapped US journalist Daniel Pearl, who was sadly killed by his captors after an escape attempt. The film is level-headed and dignified, never falling into sentimentality or optimistic heroics - it simply presents the events and allows the viewer to draw conclusions and place the stories relevance in the bigger picture.

To some this may also be a drawback, as the film could be perceived as having no particular direction or viewpoint which is a fair criticism, but the human story is engrossing enough alone.