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Mighty Heart, A
Stars: Angelina Jolie, Dan Futterman, Irrfan Khan, Will Patton, Archie Panjabi
Director: Michael Winterbottom
A finally poignant, but mostly enervating account of the kidnap of American journalist Daniel Pearl (Futterman) in 2001 Pakistan by Islamic fundamentalists.
Angelina Jolie is the film's star name as Pearl's pregnant wife, but she flits in and out of the fragmentary narrative without being able to make much impact on the whole. Her looks here are so exotic that, despite her heartfelt performance, you can't help but imagine her hair stylist and makeup girl lurking just out of shot ready to go to work.
Khan, Patton and Panjabi also offer competent portrayals in the film's docudrama approach, which, although well maintained by the director, means the movie has no real momentum. The title is bewildering. What on earth does it mean?
David Quinlan
Pakistan/India/UK/USA 2007. UK Distributor: Paramount (Paramount Classics). Colour by deluxe.
107 minutes. Not widescreen. UK certificate: 15.
Guidance ratings (out of 3): Sex/nudity 1, Violence/Horror 0, Drugs 0, Swearing 1.
Review date: 17 Sep 2007