Phil Blackwood (Tom Selleck) is a successful crime mystery writer of Peter Swift novels but he's been blocked for four years. Her publisher Sam (William Daniels) suggests getting a woman. He hangs out at court with the regulars. One day, he comes across Romanian Nina Lonescu (Paulina Porizkova) accused of a stabbing murder. He pretends to be a priest to interview her and offers to be her alibi. The government reluctantly releases her. With agents from the communist Romanian government after her, she decides to stay with Phil in his country home.
First, Phil is an idiot. He's the most naive crime writer in the world. Other than being beautiful, he has no reason to assume her innocence. In fact, she doesn't even exert her innocence before he volunteers to be her alibi. The whole premise falls apart right from the start. The rest of the movie struggles to create humor. Tom Selleck is capable but Porizkova is only a model. She has the beauty and the poise. She doesn't have the skills to play in a comedy. She could be a functional actor in something less demanding. This movie is bad right from the start.
First, Phil is an idiot. He's the most naive crime writer in the world. Other than being beautiful, he has no reason to assume her innocence. In fact, she doesn't even exert her innocence before he volunteers to be her alibi. The whole premise falls apart right from the start. The rest of the movie struggles to create humor. Tom Selleck is capable but Porizkova is only a model. She has the beauty and the poise. She doesn't have the skills to play in a comedy. She could be a functional actor in something less demanding. This movie is bad right from the start.