Seberg
Seberg directed by Benedict Andrews is a bland period piece on Jean Seberg (Kristen Stewart), an American actress, who wants to do more in life than acting and decides to become politically active. The film is not a complete biopic on the entirety of Jean Seberg's life but focuses on her involvement with the Black Panthers and the FBI investigation that led to both her breakdown and suicide age at 40. The film fails in recounting the life of one of the most iconic and troubled movie stars of the 1960s.
During a flight from Paris to Los Angeles Seberg offers to give up her seat in first class to Betty Shabazz, the widow of Malcolm X, and his cousin Hakim Jamal (Anthony Mackie). Jamal makes a scene about white privilege and Seberg feels compelled to let them have her seat. As they get to the tarmac of LAX a group of photographers appear, and she heads right towards them and raises her fist in the Black Power Salute after her sudden conversion on the flight. The two FBI agents of Jack Solomon (Jack O'Connell) and his problematic partner Car; (Vince Vaughan) watch this happen and soon begin to stalk her. After meeting Seberg drives to Jamal's home that night and the two begin to have an affair that is being recorded by the FBI.
Andrews's directing is flat, and the beginning of the story takes a while to get somewhere interesting. It isn't until the FBI investigation that the action begins. During this time Andrews shifts his focus to Solomon and how the viciousness of the FBI's stalking of Seberg affects him. He begins to see how this treatment is inhumane and is going too far. This character is fictional and feels like the white savior character that repeatedly pops up in movies to make audiences feel better about mistreatment towards people. All these things actually happened to Seberg and others so having a fictional character portray a conscience for the film seems odd and diminishes the trauma this woman and others experienced. The film only gives a microscopic view of the extent of this slander campaign towards Seberg.
The screenplay really drags this movie down into feeling like a cliche and having no meaning behind it. Characters repeat quotes like "playing with fire" or "in the crosshairs” that just feels awkward and diminishes the severity of Jean's situation. It feels cheesy and artificial. It seems like the director spent more time focused on the aesthetics of the film like the modernist Los Angeles home and the retro wardrobe instead of the internal meaning of the narrative.
The only part that really moves viewers and gets them enraged to actually feel for the character is the FBI's poor treatment of Seberg. From their intrusive behavior of tapping her phones, stalking her outside of her house and spreading false lies in an attempt to embarrass her in front of the world, is just horrifying to watch. The moment Jean starts destroying everything in her home because she thinks everything is bugged is mesmerizing to watch. Jean Seberg had such a complex, troubled life at this point and the film just underplays the severity of it.
Kristen Stewart is the only reason the film is worth watching as she embodies the role of Jean Seberg through her 1968 US return to her breakdown in the '70s. Stewart is not doing an impersonation; she is playing around with the limited material given to her. Her commitment to the character carries throughout the movie.