When renowned psychiatrist Lilian Steiner learns of the death of one of her patients she is deeply troubled. Convinced that it was murder, she decides to investigate....
The Garden Cinema View:
Rebecca Zlotowski's A Private Life blends a French caper, a portrait of a neurotic psychoanalyst, and a comedy of remarriage to produce an uneven yet enjoyable result.
What holds it together is the gravitas of Jodie Foster's compelling performance as the comically tone-deaf, egocentric psychoanalyst forced to confront her demons. Perfectly aware of this, Zlotowski indulges in endless close-ups that capture her lead actress's innate charisma. Part of the fun is watching Foster perform in impeccable French and rekindle her romance with her ex-husband (Daniel Auteuil) - not to mention the late Frederick Wiseman as her former psychiatrist and mentor in a cheeky cameo.
By the end, A Private Life misses the chance to fully explore some very intriguing setups (Foster's repressed trauma, the breakthroughs and limitations of therapy) as the script becomes increasingly convoluted and these threads are never satisfyingly resolved. And yet we like the world Zlotowski builds, and above all we love being in Foster's company.
