Her Alibi (released in theaters on Feb, 3, 1989), centers on Phil Blackwood (Tom Selleck), a successful but struggling mystery novelist who has hit a severe case of writer’s block. Desperate for a new character and a fresh plot, Phil begins frequenting the local courthouse for inspiration.
It is there that he encounters Nina (Paulina Porizkova), a stunning Romanian woman who has been arrested for a mysterious murder in a park. Smitten by her beauty and sensing a potential best-seller in her story, Phil concocts a plan to get her released into his custody.
He provides her with a false alibi, claiming she was with him at his secluded country home at the time of the crime.
As Phil brings Nina back to his estate, the plot becomes a game of romantic “cat and mouse.”
Phil is constantly torn between his growing affection for Nina and a nagging fear that she might actually be the ruthless assassin the police suspect her to be.
His paranoia is fueled by Nina’s expert knife-throwing skills and several suspicious “accidents” that occur around the house.
Phil’s best friend and publisher, Sam (William Daniels), remains hilariously skeptical of the arrangement, while Frank Polito (James Farentino), a determined police detective, keeps a close eye on the couple, hoping to catch Nina and Phil in a slip-up.
Directed by Bruce Beresford, the film also features Patrick Wayne as Gary and Tess Harper as Sally, rounding out a story that balances slapstick humor with the whimsical tension of a man falling in love with his primary suspect.
Tom Selleck and Paulina Porizkova in Her Alibi (Photo/Warner Bros.)
Reception for Her Alibi
Her Alibi grossed $5 million on its opening weekend, finishing third at the box office behind Three Fugitives ($5.48 million) and Rain Man ($5.45 million).
The film would gross $18.7 million in its theatrical run.
Legacy
Her Alibi‘s legacy is largely defined by its role as a charming vehicle for Selleck at the height of his post-Magnum, P.I. cinematic career.
It remains a nostalgic favorite for fans of the late-80s romantic thriller subgenre, noted for its attempt to blend sophisticated mystery with broad, physical comedy.
The film is perhaps most known for being the major acting debut of supermodel Paulina Porizkova, whose transition from the cover of magazines to the silver screen was a major media talking point at the time of release.
Her Alibi remains a lighthearted example of the “author as protagonist” trope, frequently revisited by audiences who enjoy the specific blend of domestic humor and light-stakes intrigue that characterized mainstream Hollywood comedies of the late 1980s.
