Plot: What’s it about?
Miral (Freida Pinto) has just lost her mother and in order to keep her safe, her father leaves her to be raised by Hind Husseini (Hiam Abbass). Hind runs an orphanage that takes in children impacted by Israeli-Arab conflicts. While violence erupts all around the region, Hind tries to instill a sense of peace in the children, through in depth education. She wants to see the children turn the tide toward peace and tolerance, which is no small task. Even as tensions grow, she continues to educate them in non-violent alternatives, even advising them to avoid politics if possible. As Miral grows into a young woman, she soaks in all the information Hind shares, turning into a well educated, strong willed woman. As an adult, Miral faces brutal oppression at times, but she remains hopeful and pushes forward. As she finds herself torn between her father’s reserved ideals and the influence of a radical rebel, how will Miral choose to face the future?
There is a great movie somewhere inside Miral, but director Julian Schnabel is unable to uncover it here. The premise is powerful, but the film lacks focus and never really comes together. As brutal and eye opening as the story can be, Schnabel fails to get past the surface. We see the pain, but there is so much more depth that could have been explored. Especially in regards to the culture of the region, which is often glossed over in Miral. Freida Pinto turns in a passable performance, but is never able to drive home the raw emotion needed at times. The supporting cast is solid, but a small role by Willem Dafoe seems to distract more than it adds to the experience. Miral is still a decent movie, it has great moments and the intent is there. That’s why I was let down, as you can also see how much better it could have been. Even so, Miral is a sometimes powerful film that tries to shed light on an important issue, so it earns a recommendation.
Video: How does it look?
Miral is presented in 2.35:1 widescreen. This is a terrific transfer from top to bottom. The image shows good detail and depth, with some scenes that almost pop right off the screen. Most scenes don’t show off that much depth, but across the board this movie looks quite good. I found contrast to be accurate and consistent, while colors have a natural, warm texture. In the end, this is simply a great looking visual presentation.
Audio: How does it sound?
This movie isn’t driven by intense audio, but this DTS HD 5.1 option still offers a solid experience. The focus tends to be more on dialogue than anything, so the vocals needed to sound great. They do sound great thankfully, very clear and no volume or distortion issues whatsoever. The soundtrack does provide a little extra kick now and then, which helps add some depth and presence to an otherwise low key affair. No other issues to report, a rock solid audio effort. This disc also includes English and Spanish subtitles.
Supplements: What are the extras?
In addition to an informative commentary session with director Julian Schnabel and producer Jon Kilik, we also have some deleted scenes and several featurettes.
