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Jodie Foster Returns to French Cinema in Rebecca Zlotowski’s ‘Vie Privée’ as Theatrical Release Begins

Early reviews praise the Foster–Auteuil pairing, noting a playful blend of psycho-thriller and comedy.

Overview

  • Set in Paris, the story follows psychiatrist Lilian Steiner, who suspects a patient’s death was murder and draws her ex-husband Gabriel into a personal investigation.
  • The film opens in French cinemas this week, with Foster taking part in promotion in France.
  • Critics highlight the leads’ chemistry and describe an intimate whodunit with darkly comic notes and HitchcockWoody Allen echoes, and Zlotowski says she used AI to craft dreamlike vision sequences.
  • Reviews commend the performances but point to an engaging yet uneven structure, with the screenplay credited to Zlotowski and co-writer Anne Berest.
  • Zlotowski emphasizes a small-scale French production, and Foster says she sought “a true French film,” with a supporting cast including Virginie Efira, Vincent Lacoste and Mathieu Amalric.