Skip to content
What's After the Movie?
Plot summary

Alibi.com (2017) Plot Summary & Timeline

Alibi.com (2017) movie poster

Alibi.com is a 2017 family and comedy film, running 1 hour 30 minutes. This page retells the whole story in 514 words (about 2 minutes to read) and covers 11 key events in order, 6 characters, where and when it is set and 3 themes. Looking for the cast, ratings and where to stream it? See the movie page for Alibi.com.

to read the plot summary
2 min
key events in the timeline
11
characters profiled
6
themes explained
3
Loading streaming availability…
Alibi.com (2017) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 30m
Genres
Family, Comedy
Original language
French
No spoilers

What Is Alibi.com About?

The premise of Alibi.com in 357 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.

In a world where a little white lie can save a relationship, Greg has turned deception into an art form. As the founder of Alibi.com, he operates a discreet agency that specializes in crafting custom alibis for clients seeking to conceal their romantic indiscretions. Working alongside his loyal associate Augustin and the enthusiastic new hire Medhi, Greg has built a thriving business on the premise that some secrets are worth protecting — and that a well-constructed story can preserve the fragile peace of a partnership. The work demands creativity, quick thinking, and an unwavering commitment to discretion, qualities Greg possesses in abundance.

The agency’s success reflects a world where appearances often matter more than reality, and where the people who walk through its doors are desperate for someone else to shoulder the burden of their choices. Greg moves through this landscape with practiced ease, his professional confidence unshaken by the moral complexities of his trade. For him, every alibi is a performance, and every client is an actor in need of a better script. Yet the very skills that make him exceptional at his job also isolate him, creating a divide between his public persona and private identity.

When Florence Martin enters his life, that divide becomes impossible to ignore. A lawyer whose personal philosophy is rooted in absolute honesty, Florence represents everything Greg’s profession stands against — and everything he finds himself drawn toward. Her suspicion of dishonesty is immediate and unflinching, forcing Greg into an impossible position. To pursue a relationship with her, he must become the very thing she would never accept: a man living behind a carefully maintained fiction.

The tension between Greg’s double life and his growing feelings for Florence creates a delicate balancing act, one that becomes even more precarious when personal and professional worlds begin to collide. As fate would have it, Florence’s father, Gérard, is entangled in his own secrets, and the convergence of these hidden threads threatens to unravel everything Greg has built. What follows is a comedic yet incisive exploration of trust, authenticity, and the unintended consequences of lives lived in the shadows of carefully constructed alibis.

Full plot

What Happens in Alibi.com?

The complete story of Alibi.com, from the first scene to the last, in 514 words (about 2 minutes). Spoilers throughout. Names in the text link to 5 cast member pages.

Spoilers ahead

Grégory Van Huffel, known as Greg, runs a discreet agency called Alibi.com, a service that provides people with alibis to keep their romantic secrets hidden from their partners. As the business grows, Greg finds himself falling for a lawyer who champions total honesty in relationships, creating an undeniable tension between his world of carefully crafted lies and the truth she values.

He meets Florence Martin by chance, and the spark between them grows even as his professional life remains a tightly guarded secret. Florence believes that honesty is the foundation of trust, a belief that clashes with Greg’s line of work. To win her heart, he makes a risky choice: he conceals his real job and tells her he works as a steward, hoping the truth won’t derail what could be a meaningful connection.

Their romance faces a new test during a trip to their parents’ country house. There, Greg discovers that Gérard Martin is one of Alibi.com’s clients, a realization that complicates his feelings and duties. Meanwhile, Florence’s mother, Marlène Martin, believes her husband is away on a business trip, adding another layer of misunderstanding to the family dynamics. In Cannes, Gérard meets with Cynthia Bellini in a hotel, a thread that intertwines with the couple’s own misadventures. As fate would have it, Florence’s mother ends up in the same hotel during the same period, bringing all the players into a tightly wound knot of secrecy.

An emergency pulls Gérard into Greg’s orbit, forcing Greg to respond when Gérard calls for help. To provide the needed alibi, Greg must keep Florence in the dark about his real life, even telling her that he is traveling to Tanzania. The tension escalates as Greg is torn between protecting his client, keeping his cover, and preserving the fragile trust he’s begun to build with Florence. Under no circumstances should he run into her, a rule that becomes nearly impossible to observe as all the threads converge.

As the weekend unfolds, the delicate balance between deception and desire frays. The film unfolds like a web of near-misses and awkward encounters, where every lie ripples outward and threatens to shatter the relationships at its center. In a climactic turn, Gérard and Greg confront the consequences of their choices and confront a reckoning with the truth they have been dodging.

In the end, both Gérard Martin and Greg confront their own missteps and seek a path toward redemption, while Cynthia makes a bold, public move by publishing Alibi.com’s customer list on the Internet. The revelation exposes the limits of keeping secrets and the price of deception, leaving the central relationships to reckon with the fallout. The story closes with a note on accountability and the messy, human costs of trying to control the truth.

Overall, the movie blends light humor with a domestic drama about trust, honesty, and the consequences of living behind a carefully constructed alibi. It invites the audience to consider how far someone should go to protect a relationship and what happens when the fear of the truth becomes a game that spirals beyond anyone’s control.

Timeline

Alibi.com Timeline: Every Key Event in Order

11 key events in the order they happen, from “Greg heads Alibi.com” to “Cynthia publishes Alibi.com's customer list”. 6 events name a place, across 6 locations.

  1. 1

    Greg heads Alibi.com

    Grégory Van Huffel, called Greg, is the head of Alibi.com, a service that provides clients with alibis to shield their affairs from their romantic partners. He oversees the growth and operations of the agency as it becomes more successful. This setup establishes the central premise that deception is a business model guiding the plot.

    When:Before the events Where:Alibi.com headquarters

  2. 2

    Greg meets Florence and falls in love

    Greg meets Florence Martin by chance and feels a strong attraction. Florence believes honesty is essential in a relationship, creating tension with Greg’s line of work. Despite this, Greg keeps his job a secret, presenting himself as a steward.

    When:Early in their relationship

  3. 3

    Trip to the parents' country house reveals a client

    During a trip to their parents' country house, Greg discovers that Florence's father, Gérard, is one of his Alibi.com customers. The discovery ties Greg’s professional world to his personal life in a troubling way. The revelation foreshadows the intertwining of romance and deception that follows.

    Where:Parents' country house

  4. 4

    Marlène suspects the trip; Gérard in Cannes

    Florence's mother Marlène suspects her husband Gerard is away on business. In parallel, Gérard meets Cynthia in a hotel in Cannes, introducing a separate thread where alibis and secrets intersect with the family. The Cannes thread begins to pull the plot into its broader web of deception.

    Where:Hotel in Cannes

  5. 5

    Florence and Marlène check into Cannes and meet Gérard

    Florence and her mother check into the Cannes hotel, where they encounter Gérard. The meeting heightens the stakes for everyone involved and deepens the entanglement between the family and the alibi service. The convergence of these characters amplifies the secrets at play.

    Where:Cannes hotel

  6. 6

    An emergency prompts a call to Greg

    In an emergency, Gérard contacts Greg for help. The request is clear: Greg must provide Gérard with an alibi to cover his whereabouts. This moment cements Greg’s role as the go-between for the deception and intensifies the pressure on him.

  7. 7

    Greg fabricates a Tanzanian trip to build the alibi

    To supply Gérard's alibi, Greg tells Florence that he is traveling to Tanzania, crafting a believable story. The fabrication requires him to avoid any contact with Florence, adding personal strain to the deception. The lie becomes a cornerstone of the alibi operation.

    When:During the alibi setup Where:Travel to Tanzania

  8. 8

    The lie strains Greg and Florence’s relationship

    The need to maintain the deceit creates growing tension in Greg and Florence’s relationship. Greg’s concealment of his actual job fosters mistrust, even as their romance persists. The emotional cost of the lie becomes increasingly apparent.

  9. 9

    Gérard's alibi is provided through Greg’s deception

    Greg successfully uses the Tanzania alibi to shield Gérard’s whereabouts. The successful construction of the alibi reinforces the unethical path they’ve chosen. The short-term victory comes with a looming moral consequence.

  10. 10

    Gérard and Greg become repentant sinners

    At the end, Gérard and Greg are described as repentant sinners, indicating they feel remorse for their deception. This moral reckoning marks a turning point in their personal and professional lives. The act of repentance reframes the story’s conclusion around guilt and reconciliation.

  11. 11

    Cynthia publishes Alibi.com's customer list

    Cynthia publishes Alibi.com's customer list on the Internet, making the confidential clients public. The move exposes the vulnerabilities of the alibi business and strains the ethics of secrecy. The online leak acts as a dramatic catalyst that reshapes the aftermath of the plot.

    Where:Internet

Characters

Who Are the Main Characters in Alibi.com?

6 characters, among them Grégory Van Huffel (Philippe Lacheau), Florence Martin (Élodie Fontan) and Gérard Martin (Didier Bourdon): who each one is and the part they play in the story. Every profile links to the actor’s page.

  • GV

    Grégory Van Huffel (Philippe Lacheau)

    Played by Philippe Lacheau

    Grégory Van Huffel runs Alibi.com and crafts elaborate lies to help clients conceal infidelity. He is charming and entrepreneurial, yet his personal life becomes entangled when he falls for Florence. His willingness to bend the truth for love clashes with Florence’s insistence on honesty, forcing a reckoning about what he is willing to sacrifice for romance.

    • ❤️ Romance
    • 🕵️‍♂️ Deception
    • 💼 Corporate ethics
  • FM

    Florence Martin (Élodie Fontan)

    Played by Élodie Fontan

    Florence is a sharp, principled lawyer who believes honesty is the foundation of a healthy relationship. Her skepticism toward Greg’s line of work creates immediate tension between them. She values transparency and seeks to align her romantic life with her moral convictions, even as she navigates complex emotions.

    • ❤️ Romance
    • 🗣️ Communication
    • 🧭 Honesty
  • GM

    Gérard Martin (Didier Bourdon)

    Played by Didier Bourdon

    Gérard is one of Greg’s clients who seeks to secure an alibi for his actions. He embodies the convenience and danger of using deception to manage appearances. His interactions with Florence’s family reveal the wider human costs of hiding the truth behind a well-crafted alibi.

    • 🕵️‍♂️ Deception
    • 👫 Infidelity
    • 💼 Business
  • Nathalie Baye as Marlène Martin (Nathalie Baye) in Alibi.com

    Marlène Martin (Nathalie Baye)

    Played by Nathalie Baye

    Marlène is Florence’s mother, a perceptive observer of the frictions within the family. She navigates the tension between appearances and reality and questions the choices her husband makes. Her perspective helps anchor the family drama and exposes the ripple effects of secrecy.

    • 👪 Family
    • 🗣️ Confrontation
    • 🧭 Honesty
  • Nawell Madani as Cynthia Bellini (Nawell Madani) in Alibi.com

    Cynthia Bellini (Nawell Madani)

    Played by Nawell Madani

    Cynthia is a client of Alibi.com whose use of the service triggers a chain of events that exposes the limits of lies. She embodies the reclaiming of power through bold action, ultimately choosing to reveal the truth publicly. Her decisions catalyze the film’s commentary on accountability and transparency.

    • 🗣️ Exposure
    • 🧭 Autonomy
    • 💥 Repercussions
  • MG

    Mr. Godet (Kad Merad)

    Played by Kad Merad

    Mr. Godet is a senior client whose needs reveal the business-driven side of the alibi industry. His interactions with Greg underscore the blurred boundaries between professional and personal life. His presence helps illustrate how clients’ secrets can entangle the lives of those around them.

    • 💼 Client
    • 🕵️‍♂️ Deception
    • 🤝 Relationships
Setting

Where and When Is Alibi.com Set?

Alibi.com is set in Cannes, France and French countryside country house. Here is why the place matters to the story.

Where

Cannes, France, French countryside country house

The story moves between a chic setting in Cannes, highlighted by the hotel where Gérard and Cynthia cross paths, and a rustic country house in the French countryside where Florence and her family gather. The Cannes scenes emphasize secrecy and social maneuvering, while the country house sequences reveal family dynamics and the cost of lies. The contrast between urban, transactional spaces and intimate domestic spaces underscores the film's exploration of deceit in everyday life.

  • 🎬 Cannes
  • France
  • 🏡 Country house
  • 🗺️ French locations
Themes

What Are the Themes of Alibi.com?

3 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Honesty vs Deception, Consequences and Accountability and Dual Lives.

  1. 01

    Honesty vs Deception

    Greg builds a life around fabricating alibis, while Florence anchors her relationship in truth. Their conflicting beliefs about honesty set off a cascade of misunderstandings and comic complications. As deceit deepens, the film probes whether lies can protect love or inevitably corrode it. Ultimately, the story weighs the costs of transparency against the comfort of secrecy.

  2. 02

    Consequences and Accountability

    Deception reverberates beyond the couple, affecting families and the clients who rely on alibis. Characters face moral decisions as secrets surface and loyalties are tested. The climax, including Cynthia’s decision to publish Alibi.com's customer list, pushes everyone toward accountability and public judgment. The film suggests that avoidance through clever alibis is fragile and unsustainable.

  3. 03

    Dual Lives

    Greg leads a double life as an alibi broker while pursuing a romance with Florence. Florence’s commitment to openness clashes with Greg’s professional disguise, creating ongoing tension. The narrative uses the double-life motif to examine how people present themselves and how private wishes collide with public personas. It highlights the fragility of privacy in modern relationships.

Tone & mood

What Kind of Film Is Alibi.com?

Light in tone, with fast pacing and a straightforward story, going by the plot summary.

Tone
Light
Pacing
Fast
Story
Straightforward
Intensity
Medium
Ending
Happy

A fast-paced, lighthearted French farce that feels like a playful and escalating series of awkward misunderstandings, driven by comedic deceit and a central romantic dilemma.

  • comedic
  • farce
  • lighthearted
  • playful
  • awkward
  • farcical
  • romantic comedy
  • deception
  • secret identity
  • business ethics

Quiz

How well do you remember Alibi.com? Test yourself on the story.

Take the quiz
Loading streaming availability…

Missing a Movie Plot Summary?

Tell us which film you want explained next: the full story, the timeline, the characters and the ending.

Request a summary
FAQ

Alibi.com Plot Questions

4 quick answers about Alibi.com, taken from the plot summary, character guide and setting on this page.

What is Alibi.com about?

In a world where a little white lie can save a relationship, Greg has turned deception into an art form. As the founder of Alibi.com, he operates a discreet agency that specializes in crafting custom alibis for clients seeking to conceal their romantic indiscretions.

Read the full plot summary

When and where does Alibi.com take place?

Alibi.com is set in Cannes, France and French countryside country house. The story moves between a chic setting in Cannes, highlighted by the hotel where Gérard and Cynthia cross paths, and a rustic country house in the French countryside where Florence and her family gather.

The setting explained

Who are the main characters in Alibi.com?

The story follows Grégory Van Huffel (Philippe Lacheau) (played by Philippe Lacheau), Florence Martin (Élodie Fontan) (played by Élodie Fontan), Gérard Martin (Didier Bourdon) (played by Didier Bourdon) and Marlène Martin (Nathalie Baye) (played by Nathalie Baye); the character guide covers 6 characters in all.

All the characters

What are the main themes of Alibi.com?

The summary picks out 3 themes: Honesty vs Deception, Consequences and Accountability and Dual Lives.

The themes explained

Coming soon to your phone

The Plot Explained Movie Summary App

From blockbusters to hidden gems: plot summaries, endings explained and timelines on your phone. Save your favorites and never miss a twist again.

Be the first to know when it launches. Your email stays private, always. Learn more about the app