‘Plainclothes’ movie review

I’m so happy that we now get good gay movies like “Plainclothes” because when I was growing up, I remember grasping at any queer representation I could get and it was usually the worst quality movies filled with cliches and bad acting.

“Plainclothes” follows an undercover officer in the ‘90s, played by Tom Blyth, who is assigned to lure and arrest gay men, but he ends up defying orders when he falls in love with one of his targets played by Russell Tovey.

I really enjoyed this movie because it wasn’t just a cliche love story. I thought it did a great job of showing how gay men were targeted in sting operations and how complicated it would have been for a queer officer to be part of that.

Another highlight for me was how realistically the movie portrayed the main character’s relationships, especially with his ex-girlfriend, who ended up being his biggest supporter.

I also liked how the film showed what it was like for men to be closeted in the ‘90s and how one of the characters navigated being gay and having a family with a woman.

One problem that I had with the film is that the main character kept staring at lights and counting when he had panic attacks. I’m guessing that was some kind of coping mechanism for when he felt overwhelmed, but I wish there was a clearer explanation or some kind of reference to it from his childhood.

Another issue that I had was the timeline of it all. The movie wasn’t totally linear. It jumped between the main character working as a cop and him attending his mother’s New Year’s Eve party, and the transitions between the two didn’t always flow together.

With all that said, I really enjoyed this movie. I think you’ll like it too if you like a good gay drama with some thriller elements. If you’re interested, it’s available to rent at home or stream on Mubi.