Strong Rotten Tomatoes Debut, But Falls Short Of True Detective Season 4

A Private Life has debuted to a strong Rotten Tomatoes score. Starring Jodie Foster, the French murder mystery movie premiered out of competition at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2025 and was released in theaters in France the following November.

Now, ahead of its theatrical release in the United States on January 16, A Private Life has debuted with an 80% score from the critics on Rotten Tomatoes. The movie has 49 reviews at the time of writing, so its score could fluctuate as more are published.

The film doesn’t yet have an audience score, which should start to take shape once it releases in theaters. While “Certified Fresh” on Rotten Tomatoes, A Private Life can’t top Jodie Foster’s prior murder mystery, True Detective: Night Country, which has a 93% score from critics.

Directed by Rebecca Zlotowski, who co-wrote the script with Anne Berest and Gaëlle Macé, A Private Life stars Jodie Foster as a renowned psychiatrist who begins a private investigation into the death of one of her patients, convinced that it was murder.

The cast also includes Daniel Auteuil, Virginie Efira, Mathieu Amalric, Vincent Lacoste, and Luana Bajrami.

In ScreenRant‘s review of A Private Life, Gregory Nussen writes, “Jodie Foster’s captivating murder mystery is psychologically dense and thrillingly strange… utilizing her French linguistic skills, Foster dazzles in Rebecca Zlotowski’s all-together uncommon caper.”

For her performance in A Private Life, Jodie Foster earned nominations for both the César Award and the Lumière Award for Best Actress, making her the first American to be nominated in these categories at their respective ceremonies.

Overall, critics agree that A Private Life belongs to Jodie Foster. Her fluent French, quiet intensity, and magnetism anchor a film that many describe as unwieldy, quirky, and tonally unstable. Even skeptics concede that her presence makes the movie compelling, watchable, and often genuinely enjoyable.

Reviewers describe the film as a slippery hybrid – part murder mystery, character study, and romantic comedy. Some admire its Hitchcockian flair, wit, and playful tone, while others feel it never fully commits to any genre. The mystery often feels secondary, though its offbeat rhythms and character dynamics keep it engaging.

While opinions diverge on its coherence and payoff, many critics find charm in the film’s imperfections. Its tonal shifts, campy edges, and emotional undercurrents are seen either as flaws or reflections of its protagonist’s psyche. Ultimately, most agree that A Private Life is imperfect yet pleasurable – carried by its atmosphere, performances, and curiosity rather than plot alone.