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Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that this docudrama probably won't interest the majority of kids -- only the most mature teens will want to see the story of a woman's mission to save her kidnapped husband. But since Angelina Jolie is the star, and the story of Daniel Pearl's abduction and videotaped murder has been widely reported, some tweens/young teens might be curious. While the actual killing isn't shown, snippets of the preceding video are, as are photos of Danny in captivity and images of suspects being briefly tortured while interrogated. There's also a great deal of harsh language ("f--k," "s--t", etc.), almost all prompted by despair and anger at Danny's capture and death.
Families can talk about the significance of Daniel Pearl's kidnapping and murder. Why did it garner so much media attention? Ask your kids what they've seen and where. How do they feel about the fact that the media broadcast images of Pearl's beheading? Ask your kids where they see disturbing images most -- on TV or the Internet -- and ask them how they deal with the impact of what they see.
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Sandie Angulo Chen
A MIGHTY HEART is one of those fact-based films where the audience is fully aware of the inevitable, grim climax -- like in The Perfect Storm and even Titanic. No matter how calm the early conversations are between married journalists Mariane (Angelina Jolie) and Daniel (Dan Futterman) Pearl, you know the bloody, heartbreaking end is near.
Jolie, in her finest performance since 1999's Girl, Interrupted plays Mariane beautifully. Every curl is in place, every Cuban-French-accented word is well rehearsed, and every reaction to the media whirlwind that eventually surrounds her is completely understood. Clearly the most buzzed-about celebrity mama in the world wants to show that she can still act, and her intimate portrayal proves that.
Critics of the film have mentioned that Jolie's off-screen persona overshadows the underlying horror of Daniel Pearl's unimaginable ordeal and how it affected his pregnant wife and close friends. But director Michael Winterbottom doesn't focus solely on Mariane, as a more sentimental director might have; rather, he closely depicts everyone intimately involved in the race to find Pearl -- from Danny's Wall Street Journal editor and colleagues to an American consulate official (Will Patton) to dogged Pakistani detectives led by "Captain" (Indian star Irfan Khan, a master of subtlety).
As Captain and his crews scour the overcrowded streets of Karachi for clues (suspects) and Mariane and the WSJ reporters use a white board to connect the various players in the kidnapping, the tension is alleviated with flashbacks to Danny's last day as a free citizen and his life with Mariane. The brief scenes of the Pearls on their wedding day, dancing on vacation, and talking in bed are the heart of the film; they show what Danny's killers have destroyed.
When the terrorists' horrifying photos of a bound Danny arrive accompanied by published accusations that Pearl is a CIA agent -- or worse, a Mossad operative -- the audience is again reminded that there is sadly only one outcome, no matter how close Captain and the FBI get to catching the kidnappers. Of course, that final, grisly beheading video is never re-created. It doesn't need to be, because by that point in the film, we've already played some version of it over and over again in our minds.
A Mighty Heart obviously isn't an easy film to see, but it provides a realistic, sometimes harrowing look at what the days between Pearl's capture and killing were like for those desperate to find him. And in the process, it gives Danny's admirable life and his courageous wife a touching tribute.
Families who like serious docudramas will also appreciate Munich, Syriana, and the 1982 kidnapping-themed drama Missing.
Rate It!
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Sexual ContentA discreet flashback of Mariane and Danny making love, cuddling in bed, and dancing at a club. They also hug and kiss each other the day he's abducted. |
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ViolenceDisturbing photos and video of both a captured Danny and suspects being tortured during police interrogations; upsetting pivotal scene in which a group watches the footage of Danny's murder. Mariane cries and screams when she finds out her husband's fate. |
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LanguageMany uses of "f--k" after Mariane and her friends find out Danny has been abducted and then killed (pretty understandable given the context). Other curses include "s--t," "a--hole," etc. |
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Social BehaviorMariane and her friends, Danny's co-workers, bravely aid Pakistani police in the search for the kidnapped Danny. |
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CommercialismJust the prominently featured Wall Street Journal (where Danny worked) and CNN. |
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Drug/Alcohol/TobaccoWine at a couple of dinner parties. |
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