It's been a while since Valerie and I have offered our thoughts on films. With the virus out there and the country in turmoil, perhaps it's time to just hunker down and enjoy what Hollywood has to offer.
Just a reminder about our mission: We tend to laud films we like rather than pan those we don't. We keep the reviews short. We try never to spoil the details of the plot.
We have been at this since 2010, a full decade now, so please look back at our myriads of past reviews and you might be inspired to view some of the film wonders of the recent past.
The film SEBERG takes us back to the 1960s. Jean Seberg was an American actress splitting her time between the U.S.and France. After playing minor roles, she hit the big time when she landed a gig opposite the wildly popular Jean-Paul Belmondo. The film was an international hit: Breathless
Only 22 at the time, the actress played a Herald Tribune employee who hangs out in Paris with a charming but hardened criminal, played by Belmondo. It was a classic, so consider going to Amazon and seeing it. The plot moves slowly, like many 60s and 70s films, so be patient. Don't miss the fantastic, more action-packed Richard Gere update years later.
The biopic picks up the story post-Breathless, when Seberg is famous and dealing with the usual problems movie stars face: which of several houses to live in and which of several men to enjoy! Tough life, no?
Looking for a raison d'etre, the star got involved in the Black Power movement. Soon, she was the focus of an FBI smear campaign against her. Can't say more...that's for our viewers to discover.
I laud this film for its engaging script. The film plays out like a thriller, where we are on the edge of our seats awestruck at each new development. We wonder how long the young actress can survive the traumas of her off-screen life.
Seberg had serious emotional issues. Like Marilyn Monroe and other fragile stars, she teetered on the edge much of her life. She sought an anchor in a constantly changing world.
Kristen Stewart offers a best-actress-worthy performance, portraying the actress-turned-media-victim with extraordinary skill. For you vampire movie lovers, you will recall that Kristen was the star of the Twilight series. She's come a long ways since being in love with two vampires! She offers a knockout performance in Seberg.
A final word: It is sadly ironic that the film deals with social injustice in America. Today's news is not really news after all.
Enjoy the film. It is one of the best out there right now. By out there, I mean at home, of course. COVID-19 has changed all of our lives. We too seek an anchor.
