"A Mighty Heart"

We were with friends over the weekend who had seen "A Mighty Heart" and who were vocally critical of it as being nothing other than a virtuoso piece for Angelina Jolie, and telling nothing about why Daniel Pearl was kidnapped.

I saw the movie last night, and can only conclude that there are two separate movies being circulated, both called "A Mighty Heart", both ostensibly about the kidnapping and murder of Daniel Pearl, and both starring Angelina Jolie. But there the resemblance ends.

The "A Mighty Heart" I saw last night was absolutely riveting, one of the few movies that I have ever seen that kept me on the edge of my seat with continual anxiety throughout. I was surprised both because of my friends' weekend reviews, but also because I did not expect much from the story. A journalist in Pakistan goes on an interview that he perhaps should have known better than pursuing, is kidnapped and murdered by radical Islamists. Leaves behind a young, beautiful, French and pregnant journalist wife. Very sad, obviously. But it would not appear that this would be the makings of a great film or adventure story.

But that is what it is. Karachi comes alive, socially and visually. The life of a young western couple about to leave the country and have their first child, but living in the chaos of Pakistan becomes almost intelligible. The possibility of scoring a major interview with a radical sheik and the risks (and yes, the precautions) taken in getting the interview are easily understood.

And he does not come home. And his wife Marianne and her support from the Wall Street Journal community and, yes, from the Pakistanis with whom she is in contact, make perfect sense.

It is the effort put into the search by everyone, Pakistani officials, friends, informal contacts, American embassy and, yes, CIA workers, Wall Street Journal staffers. It is this, the effort, and the complexity of the search, that is truly remarkable.

The acting is extraordinary. Not only Jolie, but everyone. You are not watching actors playing Johnny and June Carter Cash. You are watching the real thing. You are there.

The direction, the seamless moving from scene to scene (with most scenes relatively short, and absolutely no wasted footage or dialogue), and the building crescendo from start to finish were nothing short of remarkable. And, presumably, true to the story and to the personalities involved.

I have a copy of Marianne Pearl's book. It never occurred to me that I wanted to read it. But now, I think I will.

One question remains. The title of the movie (and book), which may be a bit misleading. If it is Daniel Pearl's heart that is mighty, you could expect a little more information about Daniel Pearl. But the title should not be a criterion for judging the movie.