SNMR 1.9: "Her Alibi"

Tonight's SNMR feature is "Her Alibi" (1989, PG-13, 94 minutes) starring Tom Selleck, Paulina Porizkova, William Daniels, Tess Harper, Patrick Wayne and James Farentino. The film was directed by Bruce Beresford.

This film will always be special to me for several reasons. For one of my film classes in college we had to analyze a scene in a movie from the perspective of how it was shot and why it was edited in the way that it was. I chose the scene in which Tom Selleck's charachter gets shot. In the late eighties and early ninties I was also a big fan of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Calendar. Paulina Porizkova was one of those SI models featured in those calendars... Plus I absolutely love the house in which Tom Selleck's charachter lives.

From the DVD's dust jacket:

Mystery writer Phillip Blackwood (Tom Selleck) has writer's block. He hits the courtrooms for inspiration - and is zapped with a doozy. A mysterious Romanian beauty (Paulina Porizkova) arraigned for murder arouses both his creative and amourous impulses. Is she guilty? Who are the gray-suited fellows shadowing her? Blackwood's smitten. Hopefully cupid isn't packing heat.
Selleck and Porizkova team in this frothy blend of mystery, comedy and romance directed by Bruce Beresford (Driving Miss Daisy). With charm in such abundance, you'll have the crime of your life. Because in Her Alibi, falling in love can be murder.

From Martin and Porter's DVD and Video Guide 2006, p. 501:

This clever comedy mystery presents Tom Selleck as a suspense writer who provides an alibi for a beautiful murder suspect (Paulina Porizkova). Fans of director Bruce Beresford may think this ditty is beneath him, but only a curmudgeon can resist its daffy charms.

Some movie trivia from IMDB: Paulina Porizkova has been married to Ric Ocasek (lead singer for The Cars) since 1989. Tom Selleck is twenty years older than his co-star. The film is set in New York and suburban Connecticut but was filmed in Baltimore and surrounding locations. Academy Award winner Randy Newman sings the song over the beginning of the end credits.

I've never been a big fan of Tom Selleck in general, but this movie is quirky enough that I can deal with him. Part of the comedy in the story is Selleck's character narrating the story as if it is happening through the eyes of his detective character in the book he is trying to write. The script is decent and holds enough suspense to keep you guessing in some parts while being predictable in others. While not perfect, this is a funny, cute, underrated movie that is worthwhile to rent and inexpensive enough to own. I'll give this movie four out of five stars.