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A Mighty Heart 8/10
The story of the investigation into the kidnapping and eventual murder of WSJ reporter Daniel Pearl in Pakistan. This was a very respectful and non-exploitative rendering of an act of totally meaningless brutality. It was heartening to see how hard the US and Pakistani officials worked together to find him and heartbreaking to see how his death devastated them all - most especially, of course, his pregnant wife played pretty convincingly by Angelina Jolie. I have no criticism of her performance...she played it very safe, understated, which I think was a wise way to approach it. But the scene in which they tell her he is dead is agonizing. I can barely conceive of what that would be like.
I did read an article written by Daniel Pearl's personal assistant who wasn't happy with either Pearl's or her own portrayal in the movie. And I understand why...both characters are very vaguely drawn. Her complaint was that Daniel Pearl was portrayed as kind of bland and gullible and I can't disagree with that. He kind of was portrayed that way.
But overall it's a good film that tells a very compelling story.
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Most people go through life dreading they'll have a traumatic experience. Freaks were born with their trauma. They've already passed their test in life. They're aristocrats. - Diane Arbus
PESSIMISM, n. A philosophy forced upon the convictions of the observer by the disheartening prevalence of the optimist with his scarecrow hope and his unsightly smile. - Ambrose Bierce
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