Movies Hunter here.
Today, I have brought a 2019 drama thriller film called “Seberg.”
This film is based on the real-life story of actor and activist Jean Seberg.
She extended her support to the black people, who were brutally targeted and suppressed
by the white people in the late 60s.
Because of this, she became the target of the FBI, who did everything in their power
to ruin her career and bring her down.
This harassment continued for years, and it began to take a toll on her.
Despite this, she stood tall for what she believed in and refused to step back.
To know what happens, watch till the end.
The film begins in Paris, 1968, where we see a successful American actress named Jean Seberg.
She lives in Paris with her husband Romain Gary, and a son.
Jean is leaving for a work trip to Los Angeles.
She bids her husband and son farewell and leaves to catch her flight.
Meanwhile, in Los Angeles, people are protesting against police brutality targeted at black
people, which has achieved national attention.
Somewhere else in Los Angeles, FBI agent Jack Solomon lives with his wife Linette.
At work, his supervisor Frank tells him about Hakim Jamal, a man who is said to be uniting
radical black groups to overthrow the government.
Jack’s job is to spy on Hakim and listen to everything he says.
On the plane, Jean comes across Hakim, who is also on the same flight.
He is arguing with a stewardess about discrimination, as she is refusing to give him first-class
seats, even though he is willing to pay for the seat.
Jean, who has been listening to their argument, offers to give up her seat for his.
Jean then introduces herself to Hakim, and the two become acquaintances.
As soon as the plane lands, the paparazzi swarm Jean and take pictures of her.
She then joins Hakim and his group, and holds up a black power fist to show that she supports
their cause.
Jack is also at the airport with a fellow agent Carl.
The two are keeping a close eye on Hakim, and are tracking all his movements.
They then follow Hakim to his house and begin surveillance on him.
Sometime later, Jean comes to see Hakim.
She tells Hakim that she wants to help him fight oppression.
So Hakim asks her to come down to the centre to see his work.
Just then, Jean realises that Hakim caused the scene on the plane on purpose, as he saw
her getting on the plane.
She asks him if it was her money he was trying to get to, or her?
After gazing at each other for a while, the two then make love.
Unbeknownst to them, Jack is recording everything.
He then shows the recording to Frank.
Jack and Carl also reveal that Jean has a history of donations to civil rights groups
and the NAACP.
On top of that, she has promised Hakim to give him funding for his movement.
So Jack asks Frank to allow him full surveillance of Jean.
As days pass by, Jean and Hakim continue to spend more time with each other.
Hakim even helps Jean rehearse her scene for an audition.
Soon after Jean leaves for her audition, Jack sneaks into her house.
He then takes some photos of the house, including of her Black Panther membership cards.
Later, Jean meets Hakim’s wife, Dorothy.
Since Jean wants to help their cause, she gives them more money.
Jack is following her every move closely and is even watching her movies.
He is kind of getting obsessed with her.
While giving an interview, Jean says that she is considering doing a movie about a black
man and a white woman falling in love.
Jean’s manager Walt opposes the idea, saying that the American audience is not yet ready
to watch an interracial romance.
But Jean says that she is tired of doing the same roles over and over, and wants to do
something good for the community.
One night, Jean hosts an event for Hakim and his group at her home, where Hakim gives a
speech on peace.
Jean has also called her husband Romain to help Hakim.
Jack and Carl are listening to all their conversation nearby.
But just then, the listening device malfunctions.
So Jack sneaks into the party pretending to be a waiter.
At the party, Jean has also invited several high-ranking Black panthers.
Hakim confronts Jean about inviting the Panthers and says that she is playing with fire.
This can draw attention not just to the Panthers, but also to her.
But Jean says that if this raises their profile, then it's good for the cause.
The next day, Jack shows the recordings from the party to Frank.
Jack wants to leak the affair between Jean and Hakim to ruin Hakim’s credibility.
But Frank tells them that Jean is also their target now, as he wants to show the world
that it isn't okay to associate and fund the movement.
So they call Dorothy and play the recording of Hakim and Jean making love.
Angered, Dorothy confronts Jean at a party.
Jean apologises and says that she just wanted to help, and it was never her intention to
hurt her.
But Dorothy isn't interested in her excuses and tells her that she will never see her
again.
Meanwhile, Jack and Linette go to dinner at Carl’s house.
While having dinner, Carl reveals that his son lives in a commune up north with disdain.
Just then, he snaps and yells at his wife and daughter.
He is mad at his daughter, as she has a haircut just like Jean.
One day, the FBI leak the affair of Hakim and Jean to the Panthers, who then begin smearing
Hakim.
Shocked, Hakim calls Jean and tells her that it’s over and he can't see her anymore.
He reveals that her home is bugged, and she should go back to Paris, or else she too will
be targeted.
Just then, Dorothy comes there with a gun, threatening Jean to stay away from her family.
Jack wants to save Jean, but Carl stops him, saying that he will ruin the surveillance.
Sometime later, Dorothy leaves Jean’s house without harming her.
The next day, Romain tells Jean that he and their son are going back to Paris, as he doesn’t
feel safe anymore.
Jean gets angry and says that she is doing something important, and she is not going
to stop, despite knowing that someone is listening to her.
She then asks Romain to stay until the premiere of her movie in New York.
Several months later, Jean and Romain go to New York for the premiere of Jean’s movie.
The FBI has continued its operation and has assigned more men for the job.
Jean feels that she is still being surveilled, as she is still donating money to the Panthers.
Before leaving for the premiere, Jean tapes all the doors to find out if she truly is
being followed.
Soon after she leaves with Romain, the FBI enters her hotel room to bug the entire room.
One of the agents kicks Jean’s dog to keep it from barking.
Just then, Jean returns to her room to change her outfit.
But to her horror, she discovers that the dog is dead.
She checks the tapes at the doors and realises that someone broke into the room.
When Jack learns about the dog’s death, he attacks the agent who killed Jean’s dog.
He fears that Jean might figure out the FBI is surveilling her.
After the premiere, Jean and Romain have dinner with Walt and his wife.
But Jean is still paranoid about the surveillance.
Just then, she gets a call at the restaurant.
Jack anonymously tells Jean to stop the donations and her association with the Panthers, warning
her that they will come after her and destroy her reputation and career.
But Jean isn't afraid of the threats and hangs up.
Later, Jack returns home, only to find that Linette has found all the photos Jack has
of Jean.
Linette accuses Jack of having an affair.
Jack denies it and says it's work, but he can't tell her anything about it now.
In 1970, Jean is working on her next movie.
She is still acting paranoid and feels that she is being watched.
With Romain and their son gone, Jean is becoming more unstable and unravelling.
Meanwhile, Jack confesses to Linette about the operation, and that he is spying on Jean.
He says that Jean is falling apart, and all he can do is helplessly watch her.
Linette suggests him to go to the papers or quit his job, as this isn't what he signed
up for.
He is a better man, and he should do the right thing.
One day, Jean meets with Hakim to see how he is doing.
Hakim apologises to her for getting her involved.
But Jean says that this is what she wants to do.
She then reveals that she is pregnant.
The father of the child is a sweet boy she met in Mexico.
With Romain and Hakim gone from her life, she is now completely alone.
She tells Hakim that it would be a beautiful thing if the baby were theirs.
Unbeknownst to them, Carl has been listening to their conversation the whole time.
He wants to leak the story that Jean is pregnant with Hakim’s child, as it will damage her
reputation and cause her embarrassment in the public.
When Jack learns about this, he opposes this, knowing that it’s a lie and cruel.
But his boss dismisses him, saying that this will help cheapen her credibility, and ruin
her association with the Panthers.
Soon after the rumour is leaked, Jean is hounded by the press, even in Paris.
Romain asks Jean if the rumour is true, and she tells him that it isn't Hakim’s child.
So Romain proposes to sue the publisher.
As days pass by, Jean’s condition is becoming worse.
She tears down the place apart, looking for devices the FBI agents may have placed in
the house.
Later, Jean overdoses on pills in an attempt to commit suicide.
One day, Linette brings Jack the newspaper, showing that Jean attempted suicide.
Jack is devastated by this and realises that they have crossed all boundaries and pushed
Jean too far.
A few months later, Jean holds a press conference, where she reveals that her two-day-old daughter
is dead.
Jean says that her daughter did not deserve the lies written about her and intends to
sue Newsweek for publishing the article.
Jean then tells the press that she is not the victim, but a far greater power is at
play, who is manipulating everything to silence her voice.
Jack listens to the press conference, and later replays hours of the surveillance audio
of Jean.
He feels guilty and responsible for everything that happened to Jean.
So later that night, he breaks into the office and steals Jean’s file.
He then goes to the bar where Jean is and sits next to her.
When Jean asks him if she knows him, Jack confesses that he is the man who called her
at the restaurant.
Jean asks him to leave, but Jack then gives her the files on her containing photographs,
transcripts, and thousands of hours of recordings.
It also has memos about neutralizing and humiliating Jean for supporting and funding the Panthers.
After reading the file, Jean breaks down.
Jack apologises to her for everything and says that she deserves to know the truth.
But Jean tells him that it's not the truth, it's lies.
Shen then asks Jack if he has a family, and Jack tells her that his wife is expecting
their first.
Jean congratulates him and then asks him to take the file and leave.
As Jean smokes a cigarette, the post script reveals that in 1971, activists exposed Frank’s
illegal surveillance program, COINTELPRO, which was condemned by Congress.
Jean stayed in Paris and continued to donate and support political causes, and never worked
in Hollywood again.
In 1979, at age 40, she was found dead in her car after being missing for days.
It is believed that she committed suicide.
So this was the story of “Seberg.”
If you liked the story, then do watch the full film, and if you want to watch more such
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See you in the next hunt.