This brooding psychological drama stars Russell Tovey and Tom Blyth who meet under complicated circumstances. An undercover cop, tasked with arresting men cruising public bathrooms, is suddenly faced with hidden desires. Using lo-fi VHS footage to explore voyeuristic notions of surveillance, this story of forbidden love addresses pertinent themes of state surveillance and societal intolerance.
Please be aware that Plainclothes contains a sequence of flashing lights, which might affect viewers with photosensitive epilepsy.
The Garden Cinema View:
Plainclothes is a strong debut about pervasive homophobia - within law enforcement, within families, and the internalised kind that exists within individuals themselves. The film depicts a not so distant era where being queer could easily jeopardise one's entire professional life and self-esteem.
The film features electrifying performances by Tom Blyth, who plays the police bait tormented by his role prosecuting gay men cruising, and Russell Tovey, who plays his first lover, also living a closeted life. Despite the anxiety and pain, the sexual tension between the two men is electrifying and their chemistry utterly believable.
Whilst the film could have avoided some the showy camerawork and editing it uses to emphasise the protagonist's inner turmoil, this is a high-stakes, suspenseful debut, in the vein of All of Us Strangers, that will fill you to the brim with emotion.
