Jodie Foster shines in a twisty drama that has almost too much going on for its relatively straightforward messaging.
A Private Life
Directed By: Rebecca Zlotowski
Written By: Rebecca Zlotowski, Anne Berest, Gaëlle Macé
Starring: Jodie Foster, Virginie Efira, Daniel Auteuil, Luana Bajrami
Release Date: January 30, 2026 (Wide Release)
Dr. Lilian Steiner (Jodie Foster), and ex-patriot living in France, is a successful psychiatrist with something of a distant relationship with his son, ex-husband, and well, just about everyone. It’s clear she’s grown cynical, maybe even a little complacent, and stuck in a routine. But when her patient, Paula (Virginie Efira) dies, her world is shaken up.
As Paula’s husband blames Lilian for her death, Lilian becomes convinced something more sinister has happened. With the help of her ex-husband and interesting trip to a new age hypnotist, she begins to unravel the secrets behind Paula’s life. With the cops disinterested and outside forces intent on stopping her, it seems like she’s on the right track to solve a murder.
As her private investigation continues, however, the issues she’s battled in her own life begin to color things. Did the crime she’s so committed to solving actually happen, or has she become obsessed with the idea in order to cope with the problems she struggles to deal with in her own life.
I won’t spoil things here, but suffice it to say there are a few twists and turns as the story unfolds. With elements of a murder mystery, dark comedy, a dash of noir, and even some trippy past-life flashbacks, A Private Life is an interesting hodge-podge of elements. There’s something engaging about this approach. A compelling aspect that leaves you wanting to see how it shakes out, and keeps you invested enough to see it through to the end.
It doesn’t hurt that Jodie Foster brings all the goods to the flick, effortlessly reminding everyone how talented she is. On top of serving as an engaging focal point, her performance manages to ground the film even when parts of the story gets a bit abstract and out there. Not to say the rest of the cast is slouching, but she certainly stands out. Daniel Auteuil’s turn as her ex-husband Gabriel is delightful and helps sell the romantic aspect that underpins the whole story.
As fun as it is to watch Lilian and Gabriel try and solve this murder mystery, the film delves into some interesting thematic territory. At its heart, A Private Life is a story about an aging woman who’s struggling to come to terms with her own issues and the cynicism that’s invaded her life/work. Seeing this play out under the veil of a murder mystery is a big part of the fun in the story, and what makes the darker humor work.
Generally speaking, where the characters end up, how the story wraps up, and the lessons learned are endearing. The problem, however, is it just doesn’t feel as satisfying as one would hope. Even as you watch how everything comes together and understand what the actual journey for Lilian is, there’s a feeling of “that’s it?”
So much of the film’s setup and exposition makes it feel like a movie that wants to go far deeper than it does. Like it has more to say and wants to be more profound, but ultimately ends with a fairly straightforward message. That’s not to say the message itself is bad—I certainly went into the credits with a smile on my face—but falls short of expectations. Ones seemingly set by the film itself through the script and story structure.
This is especially true of the hypnotist part of the story, when Lilian apparently recounts a past life during World War II in which she was Paula’s secret lover in her past life. It’s a big part of the story, and serves as the impetus for much of her investigation. While there’s something fascinating about everything going on there, it adds too much to the story without feeling like it pays off.
There are some things about Jewish heritage in the film it connects to, along with the not-so-subtle insinuation that Lilian was possibly in love with Paula. Not to mention the strange disconnect she has with her son, and where it stems from. There’s a whole bunch going on, but by the time the credits roll, the majority of these things are barely touched upon. Aside from making Lilian more committed—obsessed?—with figuring out what really happened, these elements don’t go any deeper. And there’s a LOT to unpack in those ideas presented.
