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"A Private Life" (2025)

We'll discuss this Paris-set mystery starring Jodie Foster (performing in pitch-perfect French) as a self-possessed psychiatrist who decides to investigate the suspicious death of one of her patients.

Please note that attendees must watch the film beforehand; there will be no library screening.

Renowned psychiatrist Lilian Steiner -- an uptight American living in Paris -- learns of the sudden death of one of her patients and soon begins to suspect murder. Setting out on a private investigation, she enlists an odd assortment of quirky characters along the way -- and simultaneously learns how to be more open to her own feelings and the people around her. Two-time Academy Award winner Jodie Foster calls on her pitch-perfect French for this frisky, funny, feminist mystery set in contemporary Paris. A Private Life (Vie privée) combines Hitchcockian suspense, glossy aesthetics, and a playful streak of camp.

"This stylish, silly and strange mash-up of whodunnit and family-drama is a fun filmic amuse-bouche, with Foster in top form...it's packed with savvy wit and a lot of fun to watch" -- Empire Magazine

"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... -- San Jose Mercury News

"A zesty caper...A Private Life is not the type of thriller that American audiences might be used to, but its methodical storytelling and subtle humor make it an interesting watch from beginning to end. It's a slick, quirky fusion of French and American murder mystery genres (and) Foster looks as though she is having the time of her life..." -- Culture Map

In French with English subtitles.

WATCH THE TRAILER

Run time: 1 hour 45 minutes. Rated R.

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