Entertainment

‘Seberg’ Film Review: Kristen Stewart Captures the Spirit of a Martyred Icon – TheWrap

By Shivam Sharma

Pop culture creates goddesses only to offer them up for sacrifice, and over the course of her career, Kristen Stewart has no doubt gotten close enough to that pyre to smell the brimstone. So she’s a natural to play Jean Seberg in “Seberg,” about the Iowa girl who became an international movie star, only to be targeted and ultimately destroyed by the FBI because of her affiliation with the Black Panthers.

And while “Seberg” is rarely as great as its lead actress, the film does shed light on a tragic corner of American history that’s not discussed nearly enough — the U.S. citizens who had their lives shattered by J. Edgar Hoover’s secret COINTELPRO (counter intelligence program) surveillance that targeted anyone the FBI considered “subversive,” be they Vietnam War protesters, black or indigenous activists, even environmentalists.

Jean Seberg’s life comes with its own built-in metaphor: She began her screen career being literally set on fire by director Otto Preminger on the set of “Saint Joan” and ended her life after being torched by Hoover. (It’s a similar trajectory explored by Mark Rappaport in his brilliant essay film “From the Journals of Jean Seberg,” a movie long overdue for a Blu-ray release.)

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We see Stewart recreate iconic moments from “Saint Joan” and from Jean-Luc Godard’s “Breathless” — the movie that made Seberg an icon — but “Seberg” director Benedict Andrews (“Una”) and screenwriters Joe Shrapnel and Anna Waterhouse (“The Aftermath”) focus on 1968-1971, when Seberg’s affair with activist Hakim Jamal (Anthony Mackie) put her in Hoover’s crosshairs. (And in case we missed that, the script uses the word “crosshairs” multiple times.)

The writers also focus on FBI agent Jack Solomon (Jack O’Connell), newly transferred to Los Angeles and assigned to spy on Jamal alongside Carl (Vince Vaughn), mainly so “Seberg” can give us a literal good-cop/bad-cop scenario: Solomon’s conscience is increasingly plagued over the Bureau’s ratf–king of Seberg (which includes planting a fake gossip item about her being pregnant with Jamal’s baby, which was published by columnist Joyce Haber — may her legacy always be tainted). Carl, seemingly channeling Michael Shannon’s character in “The Shape of Water,” is reactionary, racist, and abusive to his wife and daughter. It’s a phony and contrived scenario; if any FBI agent acted like Solomon, the film doesn’t present it in a believable way, and it’s ultimately a distraction from what should be the central story.

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“Seberg” most finds its footing when it focuses on Jean herself. We empathize as she wends her way through a Hollywood that sticks her in misguided productions like “Paint Your Wagon,” bonds with Hakim’s wife Dorothy (the brilliant Zazie Beetz) — who later tells off Jean once the FBI has made the affair public — and becomes increasingly paranoid about surveillance, and rightly so, even though her concerns are mostly shrugged off by her oblivious husband, Romain Gary (played by Yvan Attal, “Munich”). (Alas, the movie doesn’t really know what to do with Margaret Qualley, as Jack’s med-student wife.)

Stewart never attempts to completely impersonate Jean Seberg — she eschews the late actress’ flat Midwestern vowels — but at certain points in the film, and at certain angles, she’s a dead ringer. What Stewart does capture, more importantly, is the spark in Seberg’s eyes; she also knows how to turn off that spark, which adds additional heartbreak to the later scenes of a despairing, suicidal Seberg.

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Costume designer Michael Wilkinson (“Aladdin”) and set decorator Christy McIrwin (“mid90s”) capture a sense of late-’60s chic without getting too campy about it, and the talented Rachel Morrison (“Black Panther”) knows exactly how to turn the Los Angeles sun into a warm glow or a harsh glare when necessary. And while director Andrews, most known for his stage work, doesn’t always know how to lift this story beyond banal biopic choices, he’s certainly tapped into something special with Stewart, who continues to reveal new layers with each film.

“Seberg” leaves a lot on the floor, even with its focus on only a handful of years — the actress’ affair with Clint Eastwood during the chaotic shoot of “Paint Your Wagon,” for instance, is never mentioned — but it’s a fitting tribute to a woman whose life was undone over her desire to make a difference.

Paging Oscar Voters: 19 Fact-Based Fall Movies and Biopics, From ‘Judy’ to ‘Bombshell’ (Photos)


  • There aren’t a lot of things Hollywood loves more in a film than the retelling of true-to-life events or the onscreen portrayal of real people. For proof, look no further than what the Oscars each year: In the last 10 years, seven Best Actor winners played real people, including Rami Malek for “Bohemian Rhapsody.”



  • “Hustlers” (Sept. 13) 

    STX Entertainment’s glitzy film about the Robin Hood of strippers is inspired by a viral 2016 New York Magazine article. “Hustlers” follows a crew of savvy strip club employees who band together to turn the tables on their wealthy and abusive Wall Street clientele by maxing out their credit cards after they’ve passed out. The film stars Jennifer Lopez, Constance Wu, Cardi B, Lizzo, Keke Palmer, Lili Reinhart and Julia Stiles.



  • judy garland renee zellweger

    “Judy” (Sept. 27)

    Renée Zellweger plays Judy Garland circa 1968, when “The Wizard of Oz” star arrived in London to perform in sell-out concerts. The film follows Garland as she prepares for the show, battles with management, charms musicians and reminisces with friends and adoring fans. Finn Wittrock, Jessie Buckley and Michael Gambon also star.



  • “The Laundromat” (Sept. 27) 

    Steven Soderbergh’s screwball comedy follows Meryl Streep as a citizen journalist who uncovers a massive conspiracy involving money laundering, bribery, extortion. The film, based on Jake Bernstein’s book, “Secrecy World: Inside the Panama Papers Investigation of Illicit Money Networks and the Global Elite,” also stars Gary Oldman and Antonio Banderas.



  • The Current War

    “The Current War” (Oct. 4) 

    The historical drama — which languished in limbo for nearly two years following The Weinstein Co.’s bankruptcy — tells the story of the cutthroat competition between Thomas Edison (Benedict Cumberbatch) and George Westinghouse (Michael Shannon) over whose electrical system would power the new century. Nicholas Hoult also stars as Nikola Tesla.



  • Natalie Portman Lucy in the Sky

    “Lucy in the Sky” (Oct. 4) 

    “Fargo” and “Legion” creator Noah Hawley directed Natalie Portman in “Lucy in the Sky,” loosely based on the story of astronaut Lisa Nowak and her struggle to adjust after returning from space. Nowak, who was romantically involved with fellow astronaut William Oefelein, flew aboard Space Shuttle Discovery in July 2006. The following year she was charged with the attempted kidnapping of U.S. Air Force Cpt. Colleen Shipman, who also had a relationship with Oefelein. Nowak ultimately pleaded guilty to lesser charges and was sentenced to a year probation. “Lucy in the Sky” also stars Jon Hamm, Zazie Beetz and Dan Stevens.



  • DOLEMITE IS MY NAME! Eddie Murphy

    “Dolemite Is my Name” (Oct. 25) 

    Eddie Murphy returns to the screen after a three-year hiatus to play a blaxploitation legend whose given name is Rudy Ray Moore. After struggling to break into showbiz, Moore creates the alter-ego Dolemite seeking to star in blaxploitation films. Moore would go on to star in three films as Dolemite, including “Dolemite” from 1975, followed by “The Human Tornado” and “The Return of Dolemite.”



  • The Irishman Release Date Nov 1 De Niro Pesci

    “The Irishman” (Nov. 1)

    Martin Scorsese reunites Robert De Niro and Al Pacino in what is one of the fall’s most-anticipated films: a decade-spanning saga of organized crime in post-WWII America that covers Jimmy Hoffa’s (Pacino) rise as the leader of the Teamsters, and Frank Sheeran’s (De Niro) participation in hits for the Bufalino crime family as well as the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Harvey Keitel, Ray Romano and Bobby Cannavale also star in the Netflix film.



  • Cynthia Erivo Harriet Tubman

    “Harriet” (Nov. 1) 

    Cynthia Erivo, who had a breakout 2018 with films “Widows” and “Bad Times at the El Royale,” gets a star turn as American abolitionist and activist Harriet Tubman. The film follows the freedom fighter from her escape from slavery through her subsequent missions to free dozens of slaves in the South during a time of extreme adversity ahead of the Civil War.



  • The King Timothee Chalamet

    “The King” (Nov. 1) 

    Timothée Chalamet follows in the footsteps of Laurence Olivier and Kenneth Branagh, to portray one of Shakespeare’s great heroes: Henry V, the 15th-century monarch who navigates the palace politics, chaos and war after his father’s premature death. Chalamet is backed by a great cast that includes Joel Edgerton, Sean Harris, Lily-Rose Depp, Robert Pattinson and Ben Mendelsohn.



  • Honey Boy

    “Honey Boy” (Nov. 8) 

    “Honey Boy,” written by Shia LaBeouf, is a raw semiautobiographical retelling of the actor’s childhood growing up with an abusive and alcoholic father, played by LaBeouf. The actor wrote the screenplay while in rehab and reconciling with his father and confronting his own mental health issues. Noah Jupe plays a proxy for young Shia, here named Otis, while Lucas Hedges plays him as an adult.



  • midway

    “Midway” (Nov. 8) 

    Roland Emmerich’s new action epic retells the clash between the American fleet and the Japanese imperial navy at the Battle of Midway in World War II. The cast includes Ed Skrein, Mandy Moore, Nick Jonas and Patrick Wilson.



  • “Ford v Ferrari” (Nov. 15) 

    In a film that might as well be called “We Want an Oscar,” Matt Damon stars as visionary car designer Carroll Shelby opposite Christian Bale as the fearless British-born driver Kevin Miles. Back in 1966, the two men were hired by Ford to build a revolutionary race car to take on Enzo Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Le Mans race in France.



  • Tom Hanks Mister Rogers A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

    “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood” (Nov. 22) 

    Tom Hanks plays the indelible Fred Rogers. Nothing else need be said.



  • two popes

    “The Two Popes” (Nov. 27) 

    Fernando Meirelles (“City of God”) this movie inspired the true story of Pope Benedict (Anthony Hopkins) and his encounter with the future Pope Francis (Jonathan Pryce), one of his harshest critics as a cardinal from Argentina.



  • The Aeronauts

    “The Aeronauts” (Dec. 6) 

    “The Theory of Everything” co-stars Eddie Redmayne and Felicity Jones re-team for another true story, about pioneering hot-air balloon pilot Amelia Wren (Jones) and meteorologist James Glaisher (Redmayne) who set out on an epic balloon journey in the 1860s.



  • Bombshell Charlize Theron Nicole Kidman Margot Robbie

    “Bombshell” (Dec. 20) 

    Jay Roach’s film tells the story of the sexual harassment scandal from the point of view of the women who challenged the toxic male culture and unseated Fox News founder Roger Ailes. Charlize Theron stars, in a striking resemblance to Megyn Kelly, alongside Nicole Kidman as Gretchen Carlson and Margot Robbie.



  • “Just Mercy” (Dec. 25) 

    Michael B. Jordan stars as real-life author, activist and civil rights defense lawyer Bryan Stevenson as he seeks to free a wrongly convicted death-row inmate, Walter McMillian (Jamie Foxx). The film, which also stars Brie Larson, is directed by “Short Term 12” filmmaker Destin Cretton.



  • 1917 George MacKay

    “1917”  (Dec. 25) 

    Oscar-winning director Sam Mendes based his WWI drama in part on an account from his paternal grandfather about two British soldiers ordered to sneak behind enemy lines to warn a battalion about an ambush during the third Battle of Ypres.



  • Clemency

    “Clemency” (Dec. 27) 

    Chinonye Chukwu’s drama, which premiered in Sundance, is based on the true story of a death-row prison warden (Alfre Woodard) whose job takes its toll as she prepares for the execution of an inmate (Aldis Hodge).




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Some of the glitziest, most-anticipated movies of the fall star Hollywood’s biggest stars portraying real people

There aren’t a lot of things Hollywood loves more in a film than the retelling of true-to-life events or the onscreen portrayal of real people. For proof, look no further than what the Oscars each year: In the last 10 years, seven Best Actor winners played real people, including Rami Malek for “Bohemian Rhapsody.”

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