Shadows on the Wall | A Private Life

A Private Life Vie Privée

dir Rebecca Zlotowski
prd Frederic Jouve
scr Anne Berest, Rebecca Zlotowski
with Jodie Foster, Daniel Auteuil, Virginie Efira, Mathieu Amalric, Vincent Lacoste, Luana Bajrami, Noam Morgensztern, Sophie Guillemin, Frederick Wiseman, Aurore Clement, Irene Jacob, Ji-min Park
release Fr 26.Nov.25,
US 5.Dec.25, UK 6.Mar.26
25/France 1h43

CANNES FILM FEST
TORONTO FILM FEST

Is it streaming?

There's a bustling energy to this offbeat Parisian mystery thriller that quickly pulls us into the story, especially since it's anchored by a riveting French-speaking performance from Jodie Foster alongside an all-star cast. Director Rebecca Zlotowski and cowriter Anne Berest pack the narrative with twists and turns that keep us guessing about the truth. And Psycho Killer is a great song even if it feels rather gleefully pointed.

Obsessive psychiatrist Lilian (Foster) is badly thrown when her patient Paula (Efira) dies suddenly. Paula's daughter Valerie (Bajrami) approaches Lilian trying to understand why her mother might have wanted to end her life, but Lilian is reluctant to share a patient's secrets. And she begins suspecting that Paula's husband Simon (Amalric) is somehow involved. So she consults her doctor ex-husband, Gabriel (Auteuil), floating a wild theory about murder. As Lilian sifts through memories and recordings for clues, she also speaks to a mentor (Wiseman) to find clarity. But her imagination spins wildly out of control.

Amusingly, Lilian is having problems with her tear ducts, so her patients think she's crying about them, which only makes her angry. To stop crying, she visits a hypnotist (Guillemin) who tells her she's experiencing very deep grief from another life. This creates a gut feeling that these people have all been interconnected before, including Lilian and Gabriel's son Julien (Lacoste). Flashbacks and fantasy sequences continually offer outrageous implications that fuel Lilian's determination.

But of course everyone around her thinks she's losing her mind. Foster is terrific as a woman who simply can't keep her thoughts from racing in every direction. Every morsel of information sends her down another path; she relies so much on her intelligence that emotions continually catch her by surprise. The fine ensemble around her is excellent, creating terrific connections and rhythms in complex, messy scenes. Auteuil is especially strong as he teams up with her, rekindling lingering feelings

Along with hilariously witty touches, there are fascinating currents of impulsiveness, avoidance and repression that run right through this story. This creates vividly flawed characters who are easy to identify with. To understand what happened to Paula, Lilian needs to look honestly at herself, which gives the film a deeper resonance than we expect. And it's ultimately both chilling and charming.

themes, language, sexuality 24.Nov.25

R E A D E R R E V I E W S

Still waiting for your comments ... don't be shy.