Seberg

This never quite finds its focus between a more general biopic of Jean Seberg and a more focussed look at the FBI surveilance program that acted to shame her for financially supporting the Black Panthers. Part of it is that the film keeps on going over to a fictional FBI agent (played by Jack O'Connell), who begins to feel conflicted about the FBI's treatment of Seberg (it's never a conflict we feel particularly compelled by). Part of it is that the acting side of Seberg's career keeps on being pushed off to the side (we're introduced to her about to make the utterly ridiculous film "Paint your Wagon", but we never get to see more than a little bit of an audition for the film, and while there's reference to her being in the cheesy disaster movie "Airport", again, we never get to see any of it). Kristen Stewart doesn't really get a character to play so much as a series of political attitudes and emotional breakdowns. The recreation of the late 60's looks pretty good, and there's moments with Anthony Mackie and Zazie Beets where the film looks like it might actually engage with the Black Panthers as an organisation, but they mostly feel like mild background to a story of an actress and a Fed. And it's a bit blah.