Alibi

'The Alibi' provides enough twists and turns to make it likable and somewhat enjoyable. However, I thought it could have used a little more slickness which could have made it a real film-watching treat. Director duo Matt Checkowski and Kurt Mattila do a decent job but at times the pace really slows down and then suddenly picks up at a drastic level where it even reaches a point that the leaves the viewer confused concerning certain plot points. But just bear with it as there is some good writing, the main plot is unusual and has a neo-noir feel to it and in the end it feels entertaining. The huge impressive ensemble cast that comprises of an unusual combination of actors is fun to watch. Steve Coogan at times looks uncomfortable in his part but does an adequate job overall. Rebecca Romijn is smoking hot and easily pulls off the smart babe. Selma Blair pulls off the cute seductress. James Brolin, Sam Elliot and James Marsden are fun to watch. Deborah Kara Unger and John Leguizamo make their presence felt in briefer roles. Perhaps some of the characters could have used more development which would have given the actors more scope to bring them out. The humour is very situational and a few of the comedy are dry and just fail to trigger laughter. The film itself is very short. The makers wanted to give it a 60's feel but at the same time apply that to todays world and I think it fell somewhere in between. As I said earlier, 'The Alibi' could have done with more slickness and style, used more character development, and more comedy but overall it isn't a bad film and can be quite enjoyable on a windy day.

THE ALIBI is a smooth, elegant, neo-noir expertly shot by guys who did pre-cog scenes in MINORITY REPORT. It is very reminiscent of Frank Tashlin's work. Tashlin was the Warner Bros. cartoonist who ended up doing vehicles for Jerry Lewis and Doris Day. While his cartoons were strongly influenced by live action cinema, his live action features had a distinctive cartoonish element.

Te same can be said for THE ALIBI which works as a very tightly knit yarn and feels as precise as a special effects sequence. This precision makes the film flow smoothly and the directors deliver Hollywood entertainment at its best.

The cast is top-notch and the attached talent is the major asset of this production.

The only major shortcoming of this feature is the complete absence of emotions and character depth. The only character fully developed is the main character and it is a shame because other characters are too flat so the story fails to emotionally resonate. The screenplay feels like the first draft and it seems that it was just a couple rewrites away from being fully developed.

This is why THE ALIBI is just a well made programmer while it seems that deep inside it possessed a much bigger potential.

Saw this at the premiere at the AFI filmfest here in Hollywood. Crowd loved it, I had a great time. Great story, fine acting, fast paced. Keeps you going the whole way through. Very stylish. I enjoyed the feel of the film - editing, tone, camera work. Reminds me of an older style 60s thriller/comedy. Yeah, you have to pay attention to what's going on which is usually the sign of a good film. James marsden was hysterical, hope to see him doing more comedy. Would have liked to have seen more of Rebecca Romijn's character. Sam Elliot was awesome and Steve Coogan was a fantastic lead - very dry humor, I will look out for more of his films. Please see this film if you like to have a good time at the movies.

My wife and I loved "Lies & Alibis" it was a terrific, sophisticated, classy movie of the "Oceans Eleven" genre.

My wife and I both had the same, singular complaint. The sound mixing was horrible. There were several occasions where the "background" music was too loud and despite repeated replays, we couldn't figure out what the character was saying.

Despite the sound problems, the movie was FANTASTIC!!! It was a confluence of many disparate lives. It was a combination of the sophisticated "Oceans Eleven" and some of the sophistication of "The Thomas Crown Affair".

The cast (Steve Coogan, Rebecca Romijn, Sam Elliot and James Marsden) were terrific. The script was flawless. It's a complex story of a confidence man who juggles many different "jobs" and all the fallout which can and/or does happen.

If you liked the many faceted manipulations of strategy in Oceans Eleven and the sophistication of The Thomas Crown Affair, you'll love "Lies & Alibis".

So states the risk management owner of a service that creates 'cover lies' for adulterous affairs. And up to a point that statement makes Ray Elliott (Steve Coogan) seem like an honest if distorted service provider, covering the tracks with high technology so that cheating husbands can have affairs without the danger of their wives' discovery.

Smartly written by Noah Hawley and directed with style by Matt Checkowski and Kurt Mattila, LIES & ALIBIS delivers a new twist to suspense films laced with comedy yet filled with tension, murder, and all manner of underground derring-do. Ray Elliott is a smooth talker who manages to discreetly provide protection for business men who cheat on their wives using photographers to set up situations, falsifying credit cards and names and hotel room reservations, staging gifts for suspicious wives to stave off their concerns, etc. All proceeds well until Ray's primary client Robert Hatch (James Brolin) hires Ray to cover his son Wendell's (James Marsden) Santa Barbara bed and breakfast, pre-wedding escapade with a S&M girlfriend of one Hannibal (John Leguizamo) - a spree that carries out a bit too far in that the girl is dead by Wendell's inadvertent orders during the 'game'. Sam takes on the voluptuous Lola (Rebecca Romijn) as his new assistant and discovers she is as brainy as she is beautiful. He employs her to help his cover of the murder (Ray had switched IDs with Wendell in a planned alibi cover for the fling), breaking his own rules, and Lola ends up saving the day through a manner of crosses and double crosses that fling off the screen so fast that it takes powerful concentration to keep the story progress straight - just the way coordinated crime behaves! The manner in which this spree takes place involves a large cast including Jon Polito, Deborah Kara Unger, Selma Blair, Sam Elliott and a fine crew of bit players. Steve Coogan and Rebecca Romijn make the whole caper tick like a time bomb, giving the film elegance and just the right balance of noir and romance. The rapid-fire cinematography is by Enrique Chediak and the always dependable Alexandre Desplat provides the musical score (with a heavy nod to Offenbach's Barcarolle from 'Tales of Hoffman'). For an evening of fast-paced intrigue, romance, tension, and creative writing and acting, LIES & ALIBIS is a sure bet. Grady Harp