This is a psychological thriller that is very different for Jodie Foster. At the same time, however, she still displays an audacious attitude in this film. Directed by Rebecca Zlotowski, this is A Private Life, an intense drama that explores the lines between a medical professional and confidentiality. When themistaken words and different theories go off the rails, the story goes down a trail looking for missing pieces. Foster’s characteris the one trying to solve the puzzle. A Private Life has intriguing elements woven into the film but relies on clever egos to make it work. 

Foster plays Lilian Steiner, a psychiatrist who speaks French in her practice in France. A patient of hers has died, and her name is Paula Cohen-Solal (Virginie Efira). Lilian’s mind races with many different thoughts about the potential cause of Paula’s death. Because she might have been murdered, Lilian tries to investigate along with her former spouse Gabriel Haddad (Daniel Auteuil). She also gets technological assistance from her estranged son, Julien Haddad-Park (Vincent Lacoste). Lilian believes that the ones to blame for Paula’s death are her husband, Simon Cohen-Solal and her daughter, Valerie Cohen-Solal. Overall, it is not easy to figure out the various moving parts.

The film is innovative in how it showcases Lilian’s investigativework. She has her own cassette tapes to record her sessions. When she begins to investigate Paula’s death, she gets strange phone calls and finds herself in a scenario where her office is ransacked. Suspense is frequently present in A Private Life. However, can Lilian solve this crime without having her license revoked?

There is no easy way to evaluate how good the film is, but I found it to be neutral. It maintains a melancholy vibe as a quiet thriller. With the song, Psycho Killer by Talking Heads, playing, the silent investigation is woven into the. Not a mesmerizing or spellbinding movie, but still carefully put together. Fortunately, Foster’s fearless attitude stands out.

A Private Life is clever but lacks in some key moments. While there was positive intent, the film failed to hold up well due to the array of confusing tangents in the case of a deceased woman.A Private Life endeavored to find a route, but never quite gets there. Two-and-a-half out of four stars.