The Alibi (2006)

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.

It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties.

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

This 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!

'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.

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.

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.