A drama from earlier this year - one almost sure to garner some Oscar nominations - “A Mighty Heart” is based on the true story of the kidnapping of American journalist Daniel Pearl in Pakistan. The film quickly submerges you into bustling, international Karachi, as Daniel’s wife, Marianne (impeccably portrayed by Angelina Jolie, “Mr. & Mrs. Smith”), learns Muslim extremists have taken her husband. The race to find him before it is too late, by both American and Pakistani military and police services, creates a fast-paced, pulse-pounding story. However, Jolie’s performance as the complicated French woman and fellow reporter is the heart and engine of what drives this movie.
Daniel and Marianne Pearl were two of the first reporters into Pakistan after the U.S. began bombing Afghanistan in 2001. In late January 2002, Marianne is pregnant and the couple is expecting to leave the country shortly to raise their child. Daniel has set up an interview with a reclusive Muslim cleric, which takes him into unfamiliar territory and ultimately leads to his kidnapping. An American diplomat (Will Patton, “The Punisher”) and Daniel’s Wall Street Journal colleagues attempt to help, along with the captain (Irfan Khan, “The Darjeeling Limited”) of a Pakistani anti-terrorism unit - but will they be too late in finding those responsible?
This is a well-edited and tightly wound story, which has had only limited crossover appeal to a mainstream audience, possibly because of its political and international focus. Jolie and Khan, the two standouts of “A Mighty Heart,” show their passion and grief through their performances in highly personal and real ways.
In preparing for the pre-Oscar blitz, this film should be on your must watch list.
Rated R for language.