Shot on location in Pakistan, India, and France, A Mighty Heart is a complicated and sophisticated political drama on the level of Syriana. Michael Winterbottom (The Road to Guantanamo, In This World, Welcome to Sarajevo) is the perfect director for this true story of the kidnapping of American reporter Danny Pearl in Pakistan in 2002. Working with a documentary-like screenplay by John Orloff, he refuses to play to those who hope that this incident would be used as fuel to up the ante in the war against terrorism. At the heart of the drama is the fear, anguish, and grief of Pearl's wife Mariane (Angelina Jolie). With great courage, she refuses to succumb to hate, clinging to the hope that another way will prevail.
On January 23, 2002, Daniel Pearl (Dan Futterman), the South Asia Bureau Chief for the Wall Street Journal, is in Karachi, Pakistan, to research a story about the shoe bomber Richard Reid. As journalists, he and his wife Mariane have covered the bombing of Afghanistan and other stories. When Daniel does not return for dinner, his pregnant wife worries that something terrible has happened to him. Her worst fears are confirmed when a terrorist group announces they have kidnapped him. For five harrowing weeks, the Pearl residence is at the center of a three-ring media circus. Luckily, Mariane is supported by a diverse and efficient band of allies including the head of a Pakistani anti-terrorism unit (Irrfan Khan), an American diplomatic security agent (Will Patton), several senior people from the Wall Street Journal (Denis O'Hare and Gary Wilmes), and Pearl's writer friend Asra Nomani (Archie Panjabi).
It is quite amazing to watch all these different individuals cooperating to track down the details about why Daniel was taken and where he might be. A Pakistani government official sees India as the culprit behind everything. Rumors circulate that Pearl is a secret member of the CIA or Mossad. The complete reliance upon the Internet and cell phones in the investigation is fascinating.
The spiritual dimension of A Mighty Heart is evident in the compassion of Mariane who in one of her media appearances notes that the violence of hatred touches the lives of other families who have lost loved ones during the same time she did. In another statement, she laments the poverty that lies behind all acts of terrorism. She seeks not revenge but to build bridges among suffering peoples.
The Daniel Pearl Foundation was formed in memory of journalist Daniel Pearl to further the ideals that inspired Daniel's life and work. The foundation's mission is to promote cross-cultural understanding through journalism, music, and innovative communications.
Special DVD features include 3 featurettes: "A Journey of Passion: The Making of A Mighty Heart", "Public Service Announcement Pearl Foundation with Christiane Amanpour", and "Committee to Protect Journalists."
