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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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

81%

Tomatometer

114 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....

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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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Brogan Luke Bouwhuis

But Why Tho? A Geek Community

3d

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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Roberto Tyler Ortiz

Geek Vibes Nation

Mar 14

7.5/10

Despite its heavy subject matter, which includes suicide, guilt, and repression, A Private Life remains surprisingly light on its feet. It’s often very funny in its darkness, finding humor in human absurdity rather than cruelty.

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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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