The Alibi Movie
Storyline
TAGLINES
Planning a lunchtime rendezvous or an elicit affair and don't want anyone to find out? Do you need an alibi? Then Ray Elliot is here to help.
You Cheat. We Lie.
Ray Elliot helps people cheat on their spouses by arranging iron-clad alibis for a price. About the time he hires a new assistant, Lola, he learns there's a $5 million contract out on Jack McAdam, his former partner; and, his first and longest-running client wants him to set up a weekend for his son, who's about to marry. When the son's illicit tryst goes terribly awry, Ray has more than his share of problems: police, a jealous boyfriend, angry clients, a polygamist hitman, a coroner's assistant, and various wives converge to put Ray in danger. Can Lola be trusted? What about human nature?
| Steve Coogan | Ray Elliott |
| Rebecca Romijn | Lola Davis |
| James Marsden | Wendell Hatch |
| Matt Checkowski |
| Kurt Mattila |
6.40 out of 10 (1061 votes)
Visitor Reviews
A bit over-paced making it a bit messy
posted on 03 Mar 2009hail to Coogan, I loved him as Alan (ahaaa!) Partridge and I loved him again in The Alibi. All the more reason that I am regretful to say that the movie as a whole was not a winner.I believe what ultimately went wrong in this movie is that it never tried to hide its low pretentiousness. Due to this, it relied on absurdism and parody too much which to me became a bit tedious and even confusing at times.Rounding up all the neat clichés from the typical con-movie, The Aliby nevertheless succeeds in making it the parody it wants to be. However, it is never hilarious and demands lots of the viewers good spirits to keep it interesting. Furthermore, to add to the classic complicated scheme, the movie, though deliberate, stretches the plot beyond the limits of comprehension which again was just not funny enough to pull it off.If Coogan had not been in it, I don't think i would have finished it.6/10
A Decent Neo-Noir-Type Comedy Thriller
posted on 08 Jan 2009'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.
Awful film
posted on 15 Aug 2008There's a reason some films go "straight to video" instead of even making a brief attempt at theatrical release. This Steve Coogan mess is a perfect example. Let me save you ninety precious minutes of your life..skip this disaster.Steve Coogan, Rebecca Ramos, James Marsden, John Leguizamo, Debi Mazar, James Brolin, Sam Elliott, Henry Rollins... A Great cast totally wasted on a dull, by-the-numbers plot. You have to wonder how such talented people signed on to such a weak project. One can only guess.It's obvious most of the other comments are on solely to boost the rating of this atrocity. SKIP IT!
You're wrong Tristan
posted on 20 Jun 2008A mate of mine told me to stay away, said it was Coogan trying to shed old Alan and be 'cool.' But, being a Coogan fan, I checked it out anyway, and I have to say, it's a great film. From the get-go you get the feeling that you're in for a fun ride. Its got twists and turns that would make any farce fan sweat. Coogan isn't trying to be cool it this, he is cool! Its hard to believe its the same guy we know and love here. Its also hard to believe that it was so over-looked. With the cast it has, even without Coogan, its strange that it didn't get to theaters. I highly recommend this surprising little gem, watching it is like discovering the 3rd man or The Original Ladykillers for the first time. Well done.
Great fun
posted on 20 Jun 2008Saw 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.
A Nutshell Review: The Alibi
posted on 06 Jun 2008A dream service for those adulterous men and women out there. A service which takes your calls, handles all potentially tense situations of private eyes and that suspecting spouse, essentially taking care of you on the side while you bang. Sounds good? I think so too, at least in a business sense.Ray Elliot (Steve Coogan) runs such a service. It's a money spinner, based on statistics that one in 4 men stray, and one in 10 women cheat. He advertises his risk management career through word of mouth, and takes pride in his job in bailing clients out of seemingly explosive marital situations. The pre-requisites? A calm cool mind that can spin out stories and tell them with a straight face.Lola Davis (the hot Rebecca Romijn) is his new management recruit, and without much orientation, plunges into the job head on. Initially you might think the movie will develop on the above company politics scenario, and have the two leads get involved with each other romantically. But no, before you can get to see the next fling, the movie heads on to classic crime noir territory.On his last field job, Ray's client accidentally kills his mistress in a bout of S&M, and it's up to Ray to clear the mess up, violating one of his principles that his company doesn't provide alibis for crime. However his reputation and integrity is on the line, and he has no choice but to cover it all up.And you'll probably wince at the amount of challenges Ray goes through in having this done, and having a price put out on his head. It's essentially one heck of a caper, as we witness how Ray Elliot schemes and plot to get his rear out of situations that's seemingly impossible, and incredibly lucky to get out of. It's full of crossings and double-crossings, and while you might be lost at certain plot points, just hang in there as all will converge for the finale, leaving you with a smirk, quite satisfied with the outcome.What's fun in this movie is the huge ensemble cast that play the many characters on screen. Another X-Men franchise regular, James Marsden (Cyclops) is here as the inept himbo Wendell Hatch, Ray Elliot's last client, and we have a myriad of characters like hit men, gangsters, cops, an unsatisfied wife, etc from a cast of Selma Blair, James Brolin, Sam Elliot, Jaime King, John Leguizamo, Deborah Kara Unger, and the likes.One thing's for sure, having a huge network of those whom you have deposited emotional or material help with, certainly will help bucket-loads when the time comes. If you're up for a caper, then I'd recommend The Alibi, for its fun.
A premise in search of a plot
posted on 25 Feb 2008The Alibi feels like a premise in search of a plot: Steve Coogan's an ex-con man who's spotted a gap in the market and now provides alibis for cheating husbands and wives only to find himself in the frame for murder when one of his clients accidentally kills a woman. With a similar plot engine to Coogan's earlier The Parole Officer – man suspected of a crime he didn't commit has to use his clients to save him – it's the kind of US film Peter Sellers might have made during the early 70s lull in his career and which you'd expect to see on an airplane. But while it highlights Coogan's weaknesses as a conventional leading man and is very short on laughs without have a smart enough payoff to compensate, it's brisk and harmless enough. But James Brolin really should lay off the Peter Falk impersonations in future.
This is how I imagine Frank Tashlin does neo-noir
posted on 21 Feb 2008THE 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.
OK, maybe its because i know the director
posted on 24 Oct 2007i don't know who reviewed the movie before me, but if you were actually watching the movie, you would notice that character development for the "extras" is not needed to tell the story. when the story centers on ONE character, then you only need to develop that character, and that was done quite well.when i watched the movie at the premier in Las Vegas, every seat was filled and EVERY person in attendance loved the movie....give this movie a chance and give it a higher rating!! although i have already seen it, i plan on spending the money to see it again once it is released in general circulation, and not only will i pay to see it again, but ill be buying the LARGE tub of popcorn when i do! it was Hilarious, a great date movie, and i recommend it to everyone.
This film offers fun and laughter!
posted on 14 Jun 2007This film is a crowd-pleaser, and a great deal of fun. In fact, there is great direction, a good story, fine acting, and just-the-right pace. It is a classy, 60's-style film to be enjoyed from beginning to end. The editing is terrific, and the timing is right on target.James Marsden is very funny, and I hope that we see more of this comedic actor. Without any doubt, he is versatile enough to do drama. I did not see enough of Rebecca Romijn in this film. I am sure that she will, however, be cast in plenty of upcoming movies. Sam Elliot, once again, delivers a fantastic performance. I did, of course, enjoy Sam Coogan's dry sense of humor.I rate this film a 9 out of 10 but, with more of a storyline, this film would definitely get a 10. See this film, and you will have a fun time at the movies!
Funny Entertainment
posted on 31 May 2007The crook Ray Elliot (Steve Coogan), whose former partner Jack is under a five million dollars contract, believes in statistics and runs a risk assessment and managing business, actually a front for a company that provides alibis to adulterous people that cheat their mates. He does not accept to give alibis for crimes and he has just hired the alluring Lola (Rebecca Romijn) to be his assistant. When Wendell Hatch (James Marsden), the reckless son of his wealthy client Robert Hatch (James Brolin), accidentally kills his masochist date Heather (Jaime King) in a kinky S&M game, Ray breaks his rules to protect his own name and hire some guys to clean the bedroom and vanish the body. Sooner Ray has many problems to resolve: the police is in his tail trying to find a clue about the disappearance of Heather; her jealous Mexican-American boyfriend wishes revenge against the murderer; Wendell is upset because Ray told his father about the crime; Robert is angry and hires the hit-man Mormon (Sam Elliott) to kill Ray, but the killer is chasing Jack. When the jealous Mormon sees his wife Adelle (Selma Blair) flirting with Ray, he decides to kill him. Without any option, Ray joins his crook-friends to help him to resolve the situation.The beginning of "The Alibi" is too fast and confused and does not develop well the relationship between Ray Elliot and Lola. However, after the death of the masochist slut, the story becomes funny and dynamic, and the final plan of Ray is messy but hilarious. The cast of this film has good actors and actresses and in the end it is a worthwhile entertainment. The most incredible, Rebecca Romijn seems to be more beautiful than ever. My vote is seven.Title (Brazil): "Álibi" ("Alibi")
fun situational comedy
posted on 11 Apr 2007Lies and Alibis is about a guy who runs a risk management company that specializes in giving cheating spouses alibis. He hires a new girl to help out and they fall for each other. Some well known actors help keep the comedic situations funny. Turns out many people are looking for this guy and he has done a good job of hiding in plain sight until now. He must scramble to give himself his own alibi while taking care of the people who exposed him to his hunters. I didn't expect much from the cover or the cast, but this was actually quite a funny movie with lots of twists at the end. It's also done in relatively good taste which means its good for everyone over 13.
Poor effort
posted on 17 Feb 2006Poor film, poor story. Listening to Steve Coogan do an American accent was cringe-worthy. About 1 minute into the film I knew it was going to be a stinker, but I persisted to the end...and was not rewarded for my persistence. The twists were obvious, the humour was poor and very much un-coogan. I agree that most reviews of this film seem to be written to boost its popularity. I picked this film up for £2, and it proved you get what you pay for. I'd never heard of it before buying it, and I wish I'd not bothered!If you like Steve Coogan, you'll dislike The Alibi! Don't bother. Pick up some old Alan Partridge instead, much funnier.
Too fast
posted on 22 Jan 2006I watched it on recently arrived DVD last evening. Didn't see that it played in Hungarian movie theatres at all. And I think that it is perfectly clear why it not gone in theatres. Plot is pretty good, what is not often case in last 10-20 or more years. Realization: cast: Steve Coogan maybe can act well, but his look is simple not what will pull masses in theatres, to say it nice. James Brolin was never extra actor, and here is simple pathetic. Pace: it is very hard to follow what happening - they talk too fast, scenes are too short and much people is involved in all. It stays especially for last 20 minutes - the 'hotel jeopardy' . 10-15 minutes more could solve it. It had potential to bee real good comedy/thriller. I would give it 7 because of cute Rebecca Romijn, but hmmm. , why so little role for Deborah K. Unger? - 6/10 .
"The one thing I never do is to provide alibis to cover crime"
posted on 02 Aug 2009So 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