Born in Paris, French filmmaker Rebecca Zlotowski initially planned to be a teacher and graduated from École Normale Supérieure before earning an Agrégation higher degree in literature. Then she joined the screenplay department of La Fémis and met several students she formed working partnerships with. This led to her first feature film, Dear Prudence (Belle Epine) (2010), being invited to screen at Critics’ Week at Cannes where it was awarded the Louis Delluc Prize for best first film. Her new film, A Private Life (Vie Privée), stars Jodie Foster (The Silence of the Lambs; True Detective) as American psychiatrist Lilian Steiner who’s living in Paris and whose patient dies under mysterious circumstances. A Private Life is a combination of a dark comedy, a psychological thriller, and a film noir, with a marvelous score and some splendid performances. Foster, who has been fluent since she was a child, impeccably speaks French throughout A Private Life.
Jodie Foster in A PRIVATE LIFE. Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.
When Lilian finds out one of her patients, named Paula, played by Virginie Efira (Victoria; Benedetta), has committed suicide, she is shocked and in a state of disbelief. Believing Paula was murdered, Lilian embarks on an investigation aided by her ex-husband Gabriel, played by Daniel Auteuil (A Silence; An Ordinary Case). Lilian’s stubborn determination to find out what happened to Paula sends her into a spiral of self-examination, obsession, and grief.
L-R: Daniel Auteuil and Jodie Foster in A PRIVATE LIFE. Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.
After Paula misses several appointments with Lilian and doesn’t return her phone calls, Paula’s daughter Valerie (Luàna Bajrami) calls to inform her that Paula committed suicide. Shortly after hearing about Paula’s death, Lilian’s eyes begin watering constantly like she’s crying, leading her to go see her ex-husband, Gabriel, who is an eye doctor. He finds nothing wrong with her. Although skeptical, upon the recommendation of one of her patients who claims they helped him quit smoking, Lilian reluctantly goes to see a hypnotist, Jessica (Sophie Guillemin), who records their session so Lilian can listen to it later. Under hypnosis, Lilian discovers some things about herself that cause her to believe she has a connection to Paula from a past life. The hypnosis session utilizes beautiful, dreamy imagery that lends an almost otherworldly aspect to the film. When the session ends, Jessica tells Lilian that her eyes will stop watering, and they do.
L-R: Jodie Foster and Virginie Efira in A PRIVATE LIFE. Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.
Later, Lilian recruits Gabriel to help her investigate Paula’s death. Foster and Auteuil have amazing onscreen chemistry and their unconventional investigation techniques lead to some delightfully zany moments in the film. Lilian wakes up in the middle of the night thinking someone is in her house, which also serves as her office. She finds her office trashed and the tape recording of her last session with Paula missing. After Valerie tells Lilian that Paula’s Aunt Pearl passed away recently and left Paula a great deal of money, Lilian begins to suspect that Paula’s husband Simon (Mathieu Amalric) killed Paula for the money.
L-R: Jodie Foster and Daniel Auteuil in A PRIVATE LIFE. Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.
Composer Robin Coudert (Maniac; Revenge) crafted a brilliant score for A Private Life, which feels like a character in the film and is reminiscent of Henry Mancini’s score for the comedy/mystery/romance film Charade (1963). The use of “Psycho Killer” by Talking Heads during a pivotal moment in the film is a perfect choice. George Lechaptois’s (Planetarium) beautifully atmospheric cinematography, especially during Lilian’s hypnosis session, gives a surreal quality to A Private Life, which wonderfully compliments Coudert’s score.
Jodie Foster in A PRIVATE LIFE. Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.
Foster gives a phenomenal, authentic performance as Lilian, a woman who doesn’t realize she’s been neglecting important aspects of her personal life until the death of a patient she had unconsciously grown attached to. Auteuil is charming and funny as Gabriel, who still cares deeply for his ex-wife and would do anything, no matter how outrageous, to help her. Every scene with Foster and Auteuil adds to the darkly comedic aspect of the film and is lovely to watch.
A Private Life is an engrossing examination of past trauma, loneliness, and compulsion, accentuated by a flawless score with mid-century influences, and the magnificent harmony between Foster and Auteuil.
In select theaters beginning December 5th, 2025.
Wide release January 16th, 2026.
Expanding into additional theaters January 30th, 2026.
For more information, head to the official Sony Pictures Classics A Private Life webpage.
Final Score: 4 out of 5.
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Categories: In Theaters, Reviews
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