A Mighty Heart
Dir: Michael Winterbottom
2007
***
A Mighty Heart is a story worthy of telling and it has a message worthy of spreading. Michael Winterbottom was a good choice then as his style works well here and he's not exactly known for shying away from the subject matter. This should have been a brilliant film but it's not, it's just okay. Why? Angelina Jolie. Her very presents hinders the production. It's no secret that she played a big part in getting the film made (and guess who co-produced) but it just distracts from the story. No doubt she had the best of intentions but I can't help but think there is a little bit of ego involved. This is a true story full of heart-wrenching emotion, suspense & political intrigue. It should have evoked emotion and interest but it didn't, it just smiled sweetly at the Academy award panel and said 'Look, Angelina curled her hair, kept her boobs in, put on a French accent and didn't wave a gun around. She even cried once! Award please'. Luckily they didn't take the bait but a few others did. To say that this is her best performance to date doesn't say much about her acting. A real missed opportunity. On the plus side the supporting cast are very good and It looks great, I am still a little disappointed with Winterbottom though.