A Private Life

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1:47

A Private Life

R

Jan 2026

1h 45m

Crime

Drama

Mystery & Thriller

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Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

80%

Tomatometer

115 Reviews

66%

Popcornmeter

50+ Verified Ratings

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....

Critics Consensus

A Private Life mixes Hitchcockian suspense, glossy aesthetics, and a playful streak of camp into an entertaining if somewhat slight mystery that's held together by Jodie Foster's captivating presence.

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Randy Myers

San Jose Mercury News

Jan 30

3.5/4

Jodie Foster works magic like that onscreen and presents us with one of the most fully developed, certainly fascinating characters you will likely encounter this year in director/ co-screenwriter Rebecca Zlotowski’s French noirish black comedy.

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Moira MacDonald

Seattle Times

Jan 29

3.5/4

A Private Life is a murder mystery only on its surface; at its heart, it’s an exploration of a lonely woman’s extremely active mind, and an unexpectedly moving story of becoming more present in one’s real life, rather than one’s imaginary one.

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Mick LaSalle

San Francisco Chronicle

Jan 27

3/4

In America, it might be called a mess, and at times this movie sags. But overall, there’s something about it that holds interest. “A Private Life” is an odd ramble that eventually arrives somewhere.

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Susan Granger

SSG Syndicate

Apr 10

6/10

Not one of Jodie Foster's best films but unusual because she speaks impeccable French - making it more of a convoluted, conspiratorial curiosity than a 'must see.'

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Brogan Luke Bouwhuis

But Why Tho?

Mar 31

7/10

It’s nice to see that Foster, now a full 54 years into her career, is still full of surprises.

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M. Faust

The Buffalo Hive

Mar 22

B

From the get-go, it tells you that it’s not taking itself too seriously ... Sometimes it is Hitchcockian by way of David Lynch. Sometimes it evokes classic Hollywood comedies of remarriage.

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Lili

Mar 1

Great movie, but it seemed to end abruptly.

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Susan C

Feb 22

Jodie Foster is an American treasure and her acting was good in this film. But, the story line was a bit obtuse and implausible … the film kept my interest, though … and I was super impressed with Foster’s fluency in French.

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Helen A

Feb 10

a muddled improbable plot

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Charlie H

Feb 8

Fascinating idea but a very difficult one to put into film. Acting was superb as was the theme. Ending came out of nowhere.

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ssusan

Feb 7

Kept waiting for it to go somewhere. Jodie Foster was good. But script not so much.

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Meloney

Feb 7

I’m not sure I liked this movie… neurotic characters… messy interpersonal relationships… the conclusion was a little vague. It was great to see Jodie Foster, and her French was excellent. I hope we’ll see her in more films.

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Rebecca Zlotowski

Director

Jodie Foster

Lilian Steiner

Daniel Auteuil

Gabriel Haddad

Virginie Efira

Paula Cohen-Solal

Mathieu Amalric

Simon Cohen-Solal

Vincent Lacoste

Julien Haddad-Park

A Private Life: Extended Preview

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A Private Life: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

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....

Director: Rebecca Zlotowski
Producer: Frédéric Jouve
Screenwriter: Rebecca Zlotowski, Anne Berest, Gaëlle Macé
Distributor: Sony Pictures Classics
Production Co: Les Films Velvet, France 3 Cinéma
Rating: R (Language|Graphic Nudity|Brief Violence|Some Sexual Content)
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: French
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 16, 2026, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 3, 2026
Box Office (Gross USA): $1.4M
Runtime: 1h 45m
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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