Joe Barber Reviews “A MIGHTY HEART”

by Joe Barber on Jun.22, 2007, under Joe Barber's Movie Reviews

MOVIE REVIEW: “A MIGHTY HEART”

The job of a journalist can often be a dangerous and demanding thing. Uncovering secrets and truths that governments and others would rather have remain hidden makes reporters both important to the public and unpopular with those holding the information. In times of war, the press plays a vital role in illuminating the conflicit and its issues for those many miles away who, nonetheless, are affected by the distant events. “Wall Street Journal” reporter Daniel Pearl was trying to do just that in Pakistan in 2002 when he was kidnapped. In “A Mighty Heart” Angelina Jolie delivers a towering, Oscar-worthy performance as Pearl’s wife and fellow reporter Marianne, who fought through a web of government delay, mistakes and double crosses to try and free her husband.

Director Michael Winterbottom picks up the story on the day before Daniel and a fove months pregnant Marianne are about to leave Pakistan. They’ve been in the heart of the U.S. attacks on the Talibahn, covering the war and the deeper motivations behind the 9/11 attacks. When Daniel doesn’t return after heading to a meeting with a major radical religious leader, Marianne calls fellow journalists and the “Journal’s” New York offices, seeking help and advice. Within a few days, it becomes clear that Daniel has been kidnapped by an extremist group-but no demands are being made to ensure his release.

From there, the story follows two tracks. First, we follow the official investigation, as U.S. and Pakistani officals try to trace the slim leads available from Pearl’s sources and work to try and figure out who he was meeting with when he went missing. Rumors of cooperation by the reporter with the U.S. military and,, possibly, the C.I.A., cloud the issue and cause proiblems. Highly place officals question Pearl’s probing. Everyone, even close friends of the P earls, come under suspicion.