A Mighty Heart

Winterbottom tells the story in a similar docudrama vein: hand-held digital camera, a real feel and journalistic approach. There's an urgency in the way he shoots the restless Karachi streets.

Although it is impossible to erase the spectre of Brangelina from your mind altogether while watching Jolie inhabit the role of Mariane Pearl, you can manage it for surprisingly long stretches at a time.

Aside from casting Jolie, the bravest decision was to shoot largely in Karachi. The risk pays dividends with highly evocative location work that allows you almost to the smell that crowded city and feel the chaos.

No preaching and no proselytizing. Just a horrible happening in a continually complicated world.

[Jolie's] stunning performance is a career best and a powerful dedication to the strength and bravery of the real life Mariane Pearl.

Torpid, faux-inspirational

Knowing how this harrowing story played out in real life doesn't diminish its power in the slightest.