Jeri Jacquin
In theatres from director/writer Rebecca Zlotowski and Sony Picture Classics comes the story of a mystery and realizations about A PRIVATE LIFE.
Lilian Steiner (Jodie Foster) is a well-known psychiatrist that takes her profession seriously. Seeing patients regularly, Paula (Virginie Efira) has been missing appointments. Reaching out, Lilian still isn’t able to reach her. It isn’t until daughter Valerie (Luana Bajrami) informs her that Paul has died. Not understanding how it could have happened, Lilian begins to look through notes and tapes of sessions to see how it could have happened.
Her personal life is a struggle as well with a distance with her son Julien (Vincent Lacoste) that she can’t seem to put back together. Looking for a distraction from that is discovering what truly happened to Paula. Piece by piece, Lilian begins to suspect family members Valerie and her father Simon (Mathieu Amalric), who has his own secrets. Enlisting the help of ex-husband Gabriel (Daniel Auteuil), they both make discoveries that are both disturbing and even more confusing.
Trying to help other patients, Lilian is taken into a world where she begins to understand her connection, not only to Paula but her own life.
Foster as Lilian is portraying a complex character that is diving into her life. The driving force is keeping busy seeing patients ignoring the issues that were never resolved in her life of marriage and family. I truly enjoyed watching Foster grow into Lilian and take it places that were very unexpected. Bajrami as Valerie is a daughter who doesn’t understand the death of her mother and looks towards Lilian for answers. Meeting a bit of a wall, suspicions are aimed at her. Bajrami gives mystery to her character and it works beautifully.
Auteuil as Gabriel is a man who clearly still has feelings for his ex-wife and when he realizes she is struggling, he becomes her person. Taking it all step by step with her, nothing is too outrageous if it will bring her the answers, she is so desperate to find. His character also brings in a little comedic relief and I loved it. Lacoste as Julien is a young married new father who is detached from his mother. The fascinating thing about his character is that, despite the twist, he is more like Lilian than he realizes.
Other cast include Noam Morgensztern as Pierre Hallan, Sophie Guillemin as Jessica Grange, Frederick Wiseman as Dr. Goldstein, Irene Jacob as Vera, and Aurore Clement as Perle Friedman.
Sony Pictures Classics brings television, digital content, new entertainment services, independent films and technologies to viewers. Such films as GREED, THE BURNT ORANGE HERESY, THE CLIMB, CHARM CITY KINGS, I CARRY YOU WITH ME and THE FATHER are just a few of the current and upcoming releases. For more information on what Sony Pictures Classics has to offer please visit www.sonyclassics.com.
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PRIVATE LIFE has been nominated for several awards including the 2025 City Of
Sonostia for Rebecca Zlotowski from the San Sebastian International Film
Festival, the Polish Film Institute Award from the Warsaw International Film
Festival, two nominations from the Lumiere Awards for Best Actress, Jodie
Foster and Best Music, Robin Coudert, Best Actress nomination for Jodie Foster
from the CinEuphoria Awards, and AARP Movies for Grownups Awards Best Actress
for Jodie Foster.
The film is such a mixture that working out the mystery is going to take a bit of sleuthing. Just as the character of Lilian does, it’s a step at a time unraveling what is true from what is masking as the truth. Throwing in a big of past life regression adds an interesting layer to the story director Zlotowski is putting up on the screen. It is brilliantly done and the shadows are real in these characters lives.
Foster carries the story and, as always, she is so fascinating to watch. Hearing her speak French through the entire film is always quite captivating. She has always been able to bring intensity to a character and, this time, she adds a layer of intrigue that tests us all to go along for the ride. From start to finish, her presence along with fellow actors, brings a depth to this tale of love, loss, intrigue, and redemption of spirit.
In the end – it is not always in what you see!
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