Review: Kristen Stewart Makes Something Out of Pedestrian Biopic "Seberg"

There's no question that Kristen Stewart is an immensely talented actress, which is fortunate for the makers of "Seberg," as she single-handedly has to make something out of their rather pedestrian biopic.

The film is based on the true story of Jean Seberg, an American actress who became an Icon in the French New Wave for her performance in Jean-Luc Godard's 1960 film�"Breathless."

The biopic starts in 1968, as Seberg leaves Paris in the middle of the Sorbonne Riots to head back to the U.S. in order to resurrect her Hollywood career. Also on the same flight to Los Angeles is Black Power activist Hakim Jamal (Anthony Mackie), and as she is attracted to his politics (and to the man himself), she poses with him for the media after they deplane.�This brings her to the attention of the FBI, who are watching Jamal's every move in the hope of destabilizing his campaign of civil unrest.

Seberg's life as a successful movie star about to film a Western musical is far removed from Jamal and the Black Panthers, but the timing seems somehow perfect for both of them.�The Black Panthers are beginning to make an impact on their community, much to disdain of the Establishment, and they urgently need funding. Seberg is in a troubled marriage, and is looking for a bigger purpose in her life – plus, she has the money.

When the FBI decide that Seberg is now also a risk to society, they bug her house and keep her under surveillance. Most of this falls to Jack Solomon (Jack O'Connell), an eager new recruit who has just been transferred to L.A. It is Solomon that manages to provide his masters at the agency with what they what, but when eventually he is ordered to get involved in their dirty tactics to damage Seberg's reputation, he has second thoughts.

The script by Joe Shrapnel and�Anna Waterhouse fails to recognize Seberg's achievement as a committed actress, and they paint her as a neurotic movie star who should be grateful for her more mainstream roles.�That's also reflected in Michael Wilkinson's stunning costumes, which make Stewart look nothing like a potential revolutionary and much more like a Hollywood queen.

Seberg is portrayed as a neurotic, meddling, and very naive woman who wears her social conscience on her sleeve. With the single exception of Solomon, the FBI is�determined to break Seberg at any cost – and that just doesn't sit right with him.

The story simply skims over important issues affecting Seberg, like the�premature birth and death of her infant daughter, her relationship with her son, or the reasons why her marriage is falling apart.�It leaves us in confusion as to some of her actions and thought processes.

The movie finishes before we find out that a few years later Seberg was found dead, at the age of 40, and it is assumed she took her own life.�Six days after the discovery of Seberg's body, the FBI released documents under the Freedom of Information Act admitting the defamation of Seberg while making statements attempting to distance themselves from the practices of the Hoover era.�

There have been several attempts to film Serberg's story before now (one by Jodie Foster), and even a stage musical by Marvin Hamlisch – but the definitive version has yet to be made. This certainly is not it.