The Delightful (and Somewhat Chaotic) Journey of "A Private Life"

Light-hearted chaos is afoot in Rebecca Zlotowski’s latest flick, "A Private Life". Unlike her previous movies that focus on sun-bleached sensuality and emotional complexity, this film is a fun rollercoaster chock-full of twists, turns, and star-studded charm, thanks to the movie's lead duo, Jodie Foster and Daniel Auteuil.

In "A Private Life," you’ll find Foster rediscovering her French, a rare jewel, given that it has been hidden since 2004. She's a wildfire of surprising energy and playful demeanor, giving life to a movie that's already sparkled with Zlotowski’s energetic directing style.

Playing the role of Dr. Lilian Steiner, our American psychoanalyst protagonist, we first see Foster with an icy professional demeanor. Yet, Lilian’s mask soon starts to fall. As her world unravels, she becomes impulsive, less composed, constantly questioning her own work, and sparking a hilarity we didn't expect. Watching Foster let her hair down, especially after her intense performance as the tormented police chief in "True Detective: Night Country," is a refreshing change.

Her portrayal of a woman adapting to her adopted country, slipping occasionally into English exclamations when flustered, keeps us captivated and grounded in her character. Meanwhile, the script has quite the fun journey planned for Lilian, dragging her from uncertainty to shocking revelations about her patient’s mysterious suicide and an unhappy quitter of smoking.

Zlotowski also takes us on a hilarious spree of Lilian’s patients ranting about their trivial problems, while she struggles to hide her ever-flowing tears with tissue. Then, she even departs shortly into the subconscious with a hypnotic session leading into a bizarrely funny WWII orchestra recital hallucination, indicating a past life love affair between Lilian and her deceased patient.

While the murder-mystery subplot of the film seems somewhat disjointed and doesn’t quite hit the mark, it pales in comparison to the delight of watching Foster and Auteuil’s on-screen presence. The duo's snappy exchanges and underlying affection, undiminished by their characters' divorce, elevate the engaging narrative.

Despite the film's chaotic whirl of genres and hasty wrap-up, "A Private Life" shines in its reminiscence of a bygone era of fun French cinema. It feels somewhat nostalgic, bolstered by Foster and Auteuil's magnetic performances, making it a must-watch for any self-proclaimed film fan!