Directed by Rebecca Zlotowski, A Private Life gives the audience the chance to follow psychiatrist Lilian Steiner (Jodie Foster) on a private investigation after the death of her patient, Paula Cohen-Solal (Virginie Efira). Lilian suspects foul play. A Private Life sees Foster back in the investigating chair, like in the classic 1991 thriller The Silence of the Lambs. But while the film certainly creates a case to be investigated, it’s not a rewarding one. By the end, it all feels muddled.
Zlotowski’s film throws so much at the audience, with potential suspects galore: the husband, Simon (Mathieu Amalric), or the daughter, Valérie (Luàna Bajrami). Lillian, meanwhile, is forced to question them as a professional.
A Private Life is trying to flip the audience’s expectations, but it just didn’t jibe for me. It reminded me of the Only Murders in the Building approach, giving audiences a lot to decipher all at once. The difference, though, is that it fits together in Only Murders, whereas here it feels misplaced and disconnected.
The film couldn’t particularly pick a lane, which made the experience exhausting. The twist, especially, didn’t work for me. And that’s not to mention the very on-the-nose needle drop of “Psycho Killer” from Talking Heads not once but twice. Sure, it’s a great song, but we get it.
During a moment when Lillian visits a hypnotherapist to enter her subconscious, the film also sadly uses artificial intelligence, which is disappointing. You think, “Wow, this is a great visual sequence,” wondering how an individual could have achieved this. To find out that it’s made by AI is disheartening. It’s a worrying insight, proving that AI is starting to invade the filmmaking process right under our noses.
Foster’s performance is interesting at times, even if it doesn’t match her work in Jonathan Demme’s masterpiece. With Lillian, you get the sense that she has been in Paris for years but always has one foot out the door. Foster speaks completely in French for most of the film, which is impressive. You can tell that she is having a great time.
Auteuil, who plays Paula’s ex-husband Gabriel, is the only person who can truly put up with Lillian. Foster and Auteuil are a really great pairing, showcasing the baggage of an impossible relationship. Yet, still, the chemistry and friendship are there.
A Private Life tries to be a smart inversion, yet it feels flat and makes audiences question whether there was even a case to investigate.
Review Courtesy of Matthew Allan
Feature Image Credit to Jerome Prebois/Les Films Velvet