A Private Life (2025) Movie Review: A Bubbly, French-Language Showcase for Jodie Foster’s Late-Career Renaissance

Directed by Rebecca Zlotowski and written in collaboration with Anne Berest and Gaëlle Macé, A Private Life (originally titled Vie privée) is a 2025 production from Les Films Velvet and France 3 Cinéma. This genre-blurring feature stars Jodie Foster as Lilian Steiner, an American psychiatrist practicing in Paris who becomes entangled in a self-styled investigation following the death of her patient, Paula (Virginie Efira). The film also features a powerhouse French cast including Daniel Auteuil, Mathieu Amalric, and Vincent Lacoste.

This project is particularly noteworthy as it marks Foster’s first leading role performed entirely in French in decades, showcasing her remarkable fluency in the language. A Private Life made its world debut at the Cannes Film Festival on May 20, 2025, where it was showcased out of competition and received a ten-minute standing ovation. Following its festival run, Sony Pictures Classics secured the rights for North and Latin America, scheduling a limited qualifying run in December 2025 before a wide U.S. premiere on January 16, 2026.

Story and Screenplay: A Neurotic Detective in the City of Light

The narrative kicks off when Lilian Steiner discovers that Paula, a long-term patient, has died in what appears to be a suicide by overdose. However, after a hostile encounter with Paula’s husband, Simon (Mathieu Amalric), and a meeting with her daughter, Valérie (Luana Bajrami), Lilian begins to suspect that the truth is far more sinister. The screenplay cleverly uses the framework of a whodunit to explore Lilian’s own psychological unraveling.

The pacing of the film is notably fast; it functions as an "up-tempo" mystery that rarely slows down over its 103-minute runtime. While the script includes classic thriller elements like stolen recordings, anonymous calls, and suspicious inheritances, these often feel like secondary "MacGuffins" designed to force Lilian to confront her own life. A major subplot involves Lilian seeking help for a sudden, involuntary crying condition from a hypnotist she previously dismissed as a fraud. This leads to a surreal "past-life" regression sequence set in Nazi-occupied France, which serves as a trippy metaphor for Lilian’s current family dynamics. However, some might find the resolution of the murder mystery to be a bit too convenient or "anticlimactic" compared to the high-stakes emotional journey Lilian undertakes.

Acting and Characters: Titans Clashing with Comedic Ease

Jodie Foster is the undeniable heart of the film, delivering a performance that balances her characteristic "steely-eyed intensity" with a surprising amount of "comedy chops". As Lilian, she is at once a brilliant professional and an "increasingly neurotic" woman who is allergic to her own therapy. Watching her navigate the streets of Paris while speaking impeccable French is a highlight, and the script allows her to humanize the character through small touches, like the occasional English expletive when she’s flustered.

The chemistry between Foster and Daniel Auteuil, who plays her ex-husband Gabriel, provides the film’s most pleasurable moments. Gabriel is an ophthalmologist who becomes Lilian’s reluctant partner in sleuthing, and their "sharp-tongued back-and-forth" feels authentic to a couple who still shares a deep, albeit complicated, affection. Mathieu Amalric brings a volatile energy to Simon, playing the grieving widower with a sense of secrecy that keeps the audience questioning his motives. Meanwhile, Vincent Lacoste portrays Lilian’s estranged son, Julien, with a quiet resentment that highlights Lilian’s struggles with emotional intimacy.

Direction and Technical Aspects: A Vibrant Hitchcockian Homage

Rebecca Zlotowski directs with a "light touch" and a sense of "lively" energy that keeps the film from becoming bogged down by its darker themes. She utilizes several visual motifs that pay tribute to classic thrillers; most notably, the recurring use of spiral staircases that evoke the disorientation found in Hitchcock’s Vertigo. The film moves with a "zip" that compensates for a mystery that might otherwise feel thin.

The cinematography by George Lechaptois is "lush" and "glossy," making the most of its Parisian and rural French settings. This aesthetic choice gives the film a "throwback" feel, reminiscent of upscale French dramas from decades ago. One of the most striking visual sequences is the hypnosis-induced dream, where Zlotowski shifts the style to capture a "surreal" and "loopy" version of history that feels distinct from the rest of the film’s polished reality.

Trailer A Private Life (2025)

Music and Atmosphere: Whimsical Rhythms and Sophisticated Chaos

The atmosphere of A Private Life is defined by its "tonal hybrid" nature; it sits somewhere between a "sophisticated comedy" and a "psychological thriller". The film creates a "cozy" yet "feverish" mood that invites the viewer into Lilian’s world without ever feeling truly oppressive. This is largely supported by the "propulsive" and "whimsical" score composed by Rob (Robin Coudert).

The soundtrack often features "percussive staccato bursts" that mirror Lilian’s own agitated mental state, effectively driving the narrative forward even during slower investigatory scenes. The sound design also plays a role in establishing the film’s themes; the "torrent of white noise" from Lilian’s patient recordings suggests her initial lack of true engagement with those around her. Overall, the audio-visual presentation enhances the film’s "jaunty pace," ensuring that the 100-minute journey never feels dull.

Strengths and Weaknesses

Strengths:

• Jodie Foster's Performance: Her ability to master a leading role in French while pivoting from "guarded professional" to "bumbling sleuth" is captivating.
• Dynamic Chemistry: The "effervescent charm" of the scenes between Foster and Daniel Auteuil rescues the film during its weaker narrative stretches.
• Brisk Pacing: The "zippy direction" and "fleet" editing ensure the movie remains entertaining throughout.
• Visual Style: The "lush colors" and Hitchcockian flourishes provide a sophisticated and nostalgic atmosphere.

Weaknesses:

• Underdeveloped Mystery: The central crime often feels like an "afterthought," with a resolution that some may find "anticlimactic" or "preposterous".
• Tonal Inconsistency: The film "careens all over the tonal map," sometimes struggling to balance "zany" comedy with "dark" psychological drama.
• The Hypnosis Subplot: While visually striking, the "Nazi orchestra" visions are "oddly left field" and their relevance to the plot remains somewhat "unclear".
• Supporting Character Depth: Some secondary characters, like Lilian’s son, can feel a bit underutilized or like "stock characters".

Final Verdict: An Elegant but Insubstantial Parisian Jaunt

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

A Private Life is a film that thrives on the charisma of its leads rather than the strength of its mystery. It is an "upscale" and "sleek" production that manages to be "more fun than it probably deserves to be" because of the sheer talent involved. While it doesn't quite reach the heights of Rebecca Zlotowski's more "emotionally complex" previous works, it remains a "pleasurable" genre collision that succeeds as a character-driven drama.

This film is a perfect choice for fans of Jodie Foster who want to see her "loosen up" and flex her comedic muscles in a unique, bilingual setting. It will also appeal to those who enjoy "middlebrow" French cinema with an "autumnal, Parisian atmosphere". However, viewers looking for a "sensational twist" or a "detailed" and "enticing" murder mystery may find the final payoff a bit "meager" and "unsatisfying". Ultimately, the joy is found in the journey and the "delicious chemistry" between its two legendary stars.