Plainclothes

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2:08

Plainclothes

2025

1h 35m

Mystery & Thriller

LGBTQ+

Crime

Drama

Romance

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

82%

Tomatometer

90 Reviews

87%

Popcornmeter

100+ Ratings

At his mother's New Year’s Eve party Lucas, a young police officer, loses a letter no one was ever meant to read. Amid the backdrop of the suffocating family party, the search for the letter unlocks memories of a past he's tried to forget: months earlier, while working undercover in a mall bathroom, Lucas arrested men by seducing them. But when he encounters Andrew, everything changes. What begins as another setup becomes something far more electric and intimate. As their secret connection deepens and police pressure to deliver arrests intensifies, Lucas finds himself torn between duty and desire. With time running out and his past closing in, PLAINCLOTHES builds toward a New Year's Eve reckoning where everything he's buried threatens to erupt.

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Critics Consensus

This tension-filled coming out story marks a welcome debut for director Carmen Emmi, whose Plainclothes showcases the perils of love and the effects of isolation.

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Jared Richards

The Age (Australia)

Aug 18

2/5

A tender, touching film, emotionally distorted by director-writer Carmen Emmi’s non-linear narrative and grainy, VHS footage – a visual representation of surveillance and self-policed repression that obscures more than it adds.

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Christy Lemire

FilmWeek (LAist)

Dec 31

There's way too much stuff going on.

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Beth Webb

Empire Magazine

Oct 22

4/5

Carmen Emmi compellingly mines thriller tropes to capture the fraught experience of suppressed sexuality, but it's Lucas and Andrew’s heart-rending, beautifully performed love story that endures.

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Manuel Betancourt

FilmWeek (LAist)

Dec 31

I really enjoyed the vibes of it all because it's really trying to capture a moment... The sense of surveillance feels integral rather than flashy.

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John Stark

Mac the Movie Guy

Nov 29

63/100

Plain Clothes is honest, portraying internal turmoil in relatable fashion. the only dressing down here is the lack of audio description, which would have turned it into a complete outfit.

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Alex Heeney

Seventh Row

Nov 25

It’s a part of recent history ripe for revisiting, especially as audiences will have more compassion for these men than they have for themselves.

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Patrick

Oct 20

In spite of some quirky elements this movie will hit you right in the gut at the ending. Prepare to be gob smacked! There's at least one Oscar worthy performance.

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Adam

Oct 19

An interesting snapshot of what life was like for closeted gay men at the end of the 80s, when being gay was slowly, finally starting to become less taboo. Of course, most of society was still against it, as we see with the actions of the local police department. However, this is one of those (still maddeningly rare) queer movies that ends on a (mostly) positive note, which is something very welcome in todays political climate. The acting all around was superb, with Blyth giving a fully believable, tortured performance. Tovey, Dizzia, Fazio, and Forsyth round out the cast with great supporting performances.

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yawar c

Oct 12

wonderfully moving film.

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Bob

Oct 10

Excellent film. Great story, acting, and cinematography. Highly recommend.

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Scott B

Oct 8

It was an old story told well

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Scott D

Oct 5

Great storyline Tense

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Carmen Emmi

Director

Tom Blyth

Lucas

Russell Tovey

Andrew

Maria Dizzia

Marie

Christian Cooke

Ron

Gabe Fazio

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Synopsis

At his mother's New Year’s Eve party Lucas, a young police officer, loses a letter no one was ever meant to read. Amid the backdrop of the suffocating family party, the search for the letter unlocks memories of a past he's tried to forget: months earlier, while working undercover in a mall bathroom, Lucas arrested men by seducing them. But when he encounters Andrew, everything changes. What begins as another setup becomes something far more electric and intimate. As their secret connection deepens and police pressure to deliver arrests intensifies, Lucas finds himself torn between duty and desire. With time running out and his past closing in, PLAINCLOTHES builds toward a New Year's Eve reckoning where everything he's buried threatens to erupt.

Director: Carmen Emmi
Producer: Colby Cote, Arthur Landon, Eric Podwall, Vanessa Pantley
Screenwriter: Carmen Emmi
Distributor: Magnolia Pictures
Production Co: Podwall Entertainment, Lorton Entertainment, Page 1 Entertainment, Mini Productions
Genre: Mystery & Thriller, LGBTQ+, Crime, Drama, Romance
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 19, 2025, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 4, 2025
Box Office (Gross USA): $139.7K
Runtime: 1h 35m

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