A MIGHTY HEART

CAROLINE: “A Mighty Heart,” starring Angelina Jolie in a role that was originally intended for Jennifer Aniston back when she was married to Brad Pitt, is a tour de force.

RYAN: It’s powerful. I’ll give you that. But it’s also problematic. The script is all over the map. And for the first half of the film I had trouble following it.

CAROLINE: Wow. I didn’t find the beginning confusing at all, though I could see why someone might get a little confused as the movie went on. There’s definitely a lot of running around and arrests trying to be made that I wasn’t totally following. But the core of the story is the kidnapping of Daniel Pearl and how it affects his family and friends, and it’s riveting.

RYAN: I thought it had some excellent moments, and Angina’s performance is brilliant. She continues to thrill me in film after film. Likewise, there’s also a wonderful performance from one of our favorite Broadway actors, Denis O’Hare.

CAROLINE: Oh my God, he was brilliant! I loved him in every minute he was onscreen. But I’m sad that Angelina had to wear that tragic hair for the entire film. It’s just unfortunate.

RYAN: Yes. Her hair is a complete travesty in the movie. And her faux contacts make her eyes look like pools of jet black ink.

CAROLINE: Well, the woman she plays is part Cuban, so it had to be done. But I loved the way this movie was shot. They did it in a verité documentary style that is a little jarring at first, but in a good way. It really captures the hustle and bustle of Pakistan. And I think they really wanted to be true to the story, which is based on the book by Mariane Pearl.

RYAN: This film is heart wrenching. And I have a lot of respect for Mariane. She’s a truly courageous, heroic figure. And the movie is definitely an example of excellent filmmaking.

CAROLINE: They really captured the desperation and fear of Danny’s friends and colleagues. You really feel like you’re there having a meal with them. It’s pretty intense. The movie almost felt more like a documentary to me than a film. Even the way people talk in the film is very real. They talk over each other sometimes and it feels like real conversations because the dialogue isn’t “perfect.”

RYAN: It didn’t feel like a documentary to me; it’s a drama shot with the intention to look like verité – somewhat like “Munich” last year. But the movie is way, way too long; I even dozed off during parts of it because I was bored.

CAROLINE: That’s shocking to me. This is easily one of the best films I’ve seen this year, and I think it will be an Oscar contender. And your argument that it’s “way, way” too long is strange given that the movie is only about an hour and forty-five minutes. What’s your bottom line?

RYAN: It’s not a must-see.

CAROLINE: Gasp!

RYAN: It was entertaining in parts but you don’t have to run out and see it. I’m enjoying the summer blockbusters more right now. It’s a well-done film but it only gets a fair grade from me.

CAROLINE: I couldn’t disagree more. I thought it was excellent, though I might not call it a must-see either since the topic is so political and disturbing. It may have dragged a teensy bit, but it was only about five minutes too long. For anyone who remembers this story in the news and how graphic and horrible it was, it’s a really strong, interesting look at how the people close to Daniel Pearl lived through it and felt at the time. And Angelina is truly fab.

RYAN: Even just talking about the film this much makes me want to take a nap.

CAROLINE: Well, for those who are interested only in light, fluffy summer movie bulls—it, that’s fine. But for those who want a heavier film, you should definitely check this out.

RYAN: I’m happy to see heavy films, but this one was a little laborious. That’s all I’m saying.