Her Alibi

Directed by Bruce Beresford, Her Alibi follows mystery writer Phil Blackwood (Tom Selleck) as he falls head over heels for an accused killer (Paulina Porizkova’s Nina) and subsequently tells the police that she was with him at the time of the murder – with the narrative detailing Phil’s efforts at determining whether or not Nina actually committed the crime of which she’s accused (while also attempting to get her into bed). It’s a fairly silly premise that’s employed to passable yet completely forgettable effect by Bruce Beresford, as Her Alibi plods along for much of its 94 minutes without ever really making much of a positive, memorable impact – with the less-than-compelling vibe certainly compounded by a curious lack of chemistry between Selleck and Porizkova’s respective characters. (It’s clear, though, that Selleck’s charm remains a key ingredient within the picture’s very mild success.) And although Beresford has sprinkled the proceedings with a handful of admittedly comedic interludes (eg there are several irresistible wacky misunderstandings), Her Alibi ultimately comes off as an entirely disposable endeavor that’s rightly fallen into obscurity in the years since its release.

**1/2 out of ****

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