This July, American actress Jodie Foster will have been appearing in movies for 54 years. She was 10 when her first film, “Napoleon and Samantha” (1972) was released. Through the decades, she has given lustrous performances in scores of motion pictures, earning many accolades, including receiving two best actress Academy Awards for “The Accused” (1988) and “The Silence Of The Lambs” (1991). She also has another actress nomination for “Nell” (1994). Foster has two Oscar nods for supporting actress, one for “Nyad” (2023) and the other at age 15 for her celebrated acting in 1976’s “Taxi Driver.”
However, one thing Foster, an American, has never done is star in a foreign language film in which she speaks only in the movie’s original language. That changes with “A Private Life” (“Vie Privee”), in which she speaks French throughout the feature. In addition to French for her new film and her native English, of course, Foster is also fluent in Italian, Spanish, and German.
The last important American entertainment personality I watched doing a French twist, so to speak, was writer-director Woody Allen. His superb “Coup de Chance,” from 2023, was a box office hit around the world, including in the United States, in spite of the fact that the beautiful-looking Parisian murder mystery is spoken entirely in French with English subtitles. Directed with a French cast and crew, it is available on DVD and Blu-ray and through streaming, including on Tubi for free.
In “A Private Life,” Foster plays Dr. Lilian Steiner, an American expatriate and a rigorously professional psychiatrist in Paris, whose life begins to unravel when she begins investigating the death of a female patient of hers. She slowly starts to believe her patient was murdered. The movie, which is playing in theaters, has a clever trick or two up its sleeve. And, it never loses its French-ness, which is a terrific asset.
Thanks to director Rebecca Zlotowski, who wrote the script with her co-screenwriters, Anne Berest and Gaelle Mace, the audience is figuratively invited to play amateur detective. Moviegoers accompany Dr. Steiner on her film-length journey, learning only what she becomes aware of and finding clues only when she does. The character is in almost every scene. What’s especially discomforting, but in a good way, is that some of the story has truly unnerving elements, thus creating grand dramatic tension. Zlotowski and her writers are determined to upend the normal parameters of what a thriller should be. Those fans who find their comfort zone solely with an A to B to C through-line, as is found in many mysteries, could be disappointed, but I hope not. Engaging with what happens regardless of where the story tracks is part of the fun of seeing the movie. Rules are made to be broken and the director relishes breaking them.
One of the more intriguing elements regarding “A Private Life” is the hypnotism material. Steiner becomes acquainted with a hypnotist, who is quite proud of her line of work. She is delightfully acted by Sophie Guillemin. There is a terrific bit of mental time travel involving Lilian and the association with her possibly murdered patient. Steiner also involves her ex-husband Gabriel (a very good Daniel Auteuil) with her search for the truth. Their newfound togetherness has a bit of a screwball comedy edge to it. Clearly, they still like each other. Not only does the audience discover clues, but it also discovers the unique connections characters have with each other.
Steiner is an intelligent professional to the nth degree, but you will notice that she seems distracted — perhaps even bored — by some of her patients. She protects herself; however, because she records every session on a compact disc. They are kept in precise order in her files, which will become important as the hunt goes on. Why CDs and not something more modern? That’s a factor that plays into the story and adds another layer of information regarding Steiner’s approach to her complex and interesting job and her professional relationship with her patients.
There is a very inviting female-centric pattern to “A Private Life,” which is never heavy-handed. The male characters are not relegated to the background. Additionally, expect things to take unusual paths and change emotional tones without disorienting moviegoers or disrupting the film. Even though it is about a possible murder, there is some wicked humor to be found and Zlotowski mines it for all its worth. The song “Psycho Killer” by the Talking Heads is prominent on the soundtrack early on.
And then there is Foster, who does truly wonderful work here. Right at the top, her French is flawless. She was an extraordinarily gifted child who was reading at age 3. She attended the Lycee Francais de Los Angeles, a French-language prep school, which explains her fluency in the language. And, if you’ve ever doubted the meaning of star power, regardless of who you’re discussing, have no doubts about Foster. She is a star and is perfect playing a character who thinks she understands the human mind and slowly finds herself not knowing what to believe. As a therapist, it is readily apparent that Steiner is brilliant at understanding patterns and puzzles. However, other characters put up roadblocks and, just as one of her patients might say, nothing is easy. What is assured is that “A Private Life” is a movie that’s worth seeing.