The Alibi: A Cold, Strange Trip Through 1937 Paris

Is it worth a watch?

If you like movies that feel like a dusty, smoke-filled room where nobody is telling the truth, you’ll probably dig The Alibi. It’s got that specific 1930s French mood that feels both elegant and slightly grimy. If you need explosions or a plot that moves at a breakneck speed, skip this. You will find it boring, and honestly, that’s fair.

Louis Jouvet is the real reason this thing works. He plays the inspector with a kind of tired, cynical sharpness that makes you wonder if he’s actually the good guy or just the one with the most power. There is this one scene where he just stares at the wall while listening to a witness, and you can almost hear his brain doing the math. It’s better than any monologue.

The vibe check

The whole premise of a telepathist committing a murder is pretty wild, right? But the movie doesn't lean into the sci-fi or magic stuff. It stays firmly in the world of petty lies and desperate people. It reminds me a bit of the quiet tension in Burglar by Proxy, where the stakes feel personal rather than epic. Sometimes I wonder if the director just liked the idea of stage performers being liars by trade.

The pacing is… well, it’s not for the impatient. There are moments where the camera just sits there on a character’s face. It’s like the movie is daring you to look away. Sometimes it’s atmospheric; other times it just feels like the film is stuck in traffic. There is this weird side character—a fellow performer, I think?—who pops up for no reason and then vanishes for half the movie. I’m still not sure what that was about. Maybe a deleted scene that got left in by mistake?

• That one shot of the night club entrance. It feels so small.
• The way they light the interrogation room makes everyone look like they’re already ghosts.
• I’m pretty sure the guy in the background of the club scene is wearing the same hat for three different days.

It’s not a perfect film. It’s actually pretty messy in parts. But there is an honesty to the way the characters treat each other that feels more real than most modern thrillers. It’s a bit like watching a chess match where both players have already lost. Definitely watch it for the atmosphere, but keep your expectations grounded. Don't expect a big, flashy reveal.

It just sort of ends. Which, honestly? I kind of liked that. It felt like the movie was tired of its own drama. 🚬