A Mighty Heart (Winterbottom, 2007)

[kaytee]

We all know that Michael Winterbottom has a thing for documentary style movies and that he has talent. This movie required for him to keep the story straight to the point and sticking to the topic. Which is how to find Daniel Pearl and how his wife coped with his disappearence? Not blame anyone, not dig deeper into his relationship with his wife or parents or anyone.

He has done a brilliant job of showing how Karachi or Pakistan would be. I have never been there but I think that was a very accurate portrayal. The acting from Angelina Jolie was average and the same goes for the rest of the cast. No one really stands out as being exceptional. The story and its execution is what carries this movie along throughout.

I would have enjoyed it more if this movie was a plain documentary and not a movie. Maybe that is why the actual motive of Daniel Pearl's wife is questionable.

I think people should watch this just to know what the really happened with Pearl and his wife.

3/5

[fizz]

I think the film is released here next week...I'm waiting for a chance to see this on the big screen. For me, Winterbottom is a director who can do little wrong, if given the right material (ofcourse, lets not talk about Code 46).

[ozzylogic]

Winterarse made the disaster Code 46 eh? A Mighty Heart looks promising by its trailer.

[kaytee]

How many Winterbottom movies have you seen?

The only good one I saw was Road to Guantanamo.

[fizz]

Road to Guantanamo
In this world
Jude
and ofcourse....Code 46.

All are perfect films, except 46.

[ozzylogic]

Just Code 46...didn't get around to watching Road To Guantanomo.

[madali]

Havent seen the rest buy "Road To Guantanomo" was excellent

[kaytee]

I need to watch In the World and Jude then. Wont bother with Code 46. Road to Guantanamo was mind blowing.

[madali]

Which one is recommended after Road? Should it be In the World, Jude, or Might Heart?

[fizz]

In this world is very similar to Guantanamo - pseudo documentary style filming, set mostly in and around Pakistan, no name actors etc. Jude is a terribly, terribly depressing film to watch, but extremely rewarding for the superb performances (including an early Winslet). I would watch these however in the order they were released in, if I could, with Heart being right at the end.

[X.]

My favourite Michael Winterbottom film is "The Claim." I'd see that before anything else.

[madali]

A Mighty Heart (Winterbottom, 2007)
IMDB Link

“A Mighty Heart” is about the Wall Street Journal reporter, Daniel Pearl, who was kidnapped and beheaded in 2001, by Pakistani militants. Is it going to a ballsy movie or just a sentimental myth-building crap? Not exactly either, but it leans on the latter.

Here is how the director proves he is ball-less.

Based on the wife of the journalist’s memoirs, which means that it is not going to be raw and brutal, but filled with flashbacks of the married couple dancing in their wedding and trying to look like they are in love.

The title is “A Mighty Heart”, and you know we’ll spend a lot of time trying to see how big hearted everyone is. We do, the wife is courageous, the husband is courageous, and also the parents. All big-hearted people.

The beheading is not shown. I’m not calling for exploitation, but when this happens, it means the director was trying to respectful, but I say, leave respect at dinner tables.

The movie has the approval of the wife, and I say, “So fucking what?”. A better movie might have been if the wife had gotten enraged.
 
Taking all of these into account proves the movie is weak. It is so laid back and PC, that it got on my nerves. We don’t get to see the beheading, we don’t get to see Daniel Pearl in captivity, we don’t get to see much of the police procedures (except one mild torture scene), basically, all we get to see is the group of characters sitting at home, looking worried. And flashbacks of Daniel Pearl and his wife being in love. Ahh, I guess, only people in love don’t deserve to be beheaded. Everyone else? Fuck them.

The event could have been a fascinating area for movie-making. Why not deal with the religious theologies? Or the political complications and complexities? When a director makes a movie, and tries not to offend anyone, then we get very little.

Also, I’m finally sick of Angelina Jolie. We get it, you also have a mighty heart.

2/5

[theoddball]

You guys need to see Winterbottom's Welcome to Sarajevo. I highly recommend it.

Also, I'm surprised that none of you testosterone-driven single guys mentioned 9 Songs, unless you've all turned gay.

Since we're on the subject of sex and nudity, I agree with Fizz that Jude is an amazing film despite, as he mentioned, the depressing tone. It also contains Winslet's first full frontal nude scene. I remember when the film came out, there was an interview with her about the film, and particularly about how the then weight-conscious Winslet approached filming this uncomfortable scene. It appeared in the now-defunct-but-once-brilliant Premiere magazine. The article's title was a stroke of editorial genius. It read "Kate's Bush".

[madali]

Kate naked is enough of a selling point for me./

[ozzylogic]

Kate naked is enough of a selling point for me./

I second that