Sundance Review: Plainclothes is a Gripping Thriller That Explores the Paranoia of Coming Out.

      Set years prior to George Michael's arrest and inspired by the bathroom raids that caused moral panic in Mansfield, Ohio, in 1963, Carmen Emmi’s thriller Plainclothes, which takes place in Syracuse, presents a fresh perspective on the coming-out genre. Young undercover officer Lucas (Tom Blyth) prowls the food court and men's restroom at a local mall, enticing men into stalls to expose themselves before a cop (John Bedford Lloyd) apprehends them, a character who isn’t hesitant to slap a fellow officer on the butt at the gym, a subplot the film doesn’t fully explore.

      The thriller unfolds in a non-linear fashion, alternating between two parallel timelines: one set during a New Year's Eve party with Lucas’ controversial uncle following his father's death, and the other depicting his police duties at the mall. In the earlier timeline, Lucas develops a crush on Andrew (Russell Tovey), a middle-aged man, allowing their interaction to advance past what is legally permissible. After botching the arrest, he lets Andrew go and receives his phone number to connect again.

      As pressure mounts from his commanding officer and chief, the task force intensifies its operations. Inspired by archival footage of public restroom raids in suburban Mansfield, Ohio, a third officer, Jeff (Darius Fraser), is introduced to the team along with a VHS camera. It becomes evident that judges are not handing down harsh penalties, opting instead for tickets as prosecuting these cases based solely on observation has proven challenging.

      Set in 1997, a time when AIDS was becoming less lethal but still posed a significant threat, Plainclothes employs a paranoid mixed-media style; it is shot in the Academy ratio and frequently shifts to a VHS-like aesthetic as Lucas observes, reports, and ultimately makes eye contact. As the situation constricts around him, he ends his relationship with Emily (Amy Forsyth), a flight attendant who seems to have always sensed something was amiss.

      Continuing secretly with Andrew after their first meeting in the mall restroom, they eventually rendezvous in the dim ambiance of a movie theater before deciding to see one another again. The film’s structure, alternating between Lucas’ police work, his affair with Andrew, and a family gathering where tension escalates, feels a bit chaotic and deliberately rough around the edges. Using this hybrid media approach, Emmi, editor Erik Vogt-Nilsen, and cinematographer Ethan Palmer craft a jittery, paranoid atmosphere that occasionally evokes the style of the late Tony Scott.

      The film portrays Lucas’ coming out, including his first intimate moments with Andrew, with a frenetic, paranoid energy. It becomes more sensitive and nuanced only during his interactions with Emily. Initially, the non-linear structure can be somewhat perplexing: Lucas has grown facial hair and resembles the first man arrested early in the film as a dark remix of OMC’s “How Bizarre” plays in the mall.

      Offering a darker twist on the coming-out narrative, Plainclothes contains familiar elements but ultimately shines through its performances and unique approach. The final act heightens the tension, merging the two timelines around common familial archetypes. Moreover, 1997 was a distinctly different era, marked by misconceptions and HIV/AIDS public service announcements. The film encapsulates the fears that may have lingered a few years after Tom Hanks won an Oscar for his role in Jonathan Demme’s groundbreaking yet flawed film, Philadelphia. In the realm of coming-out films, Plainclothes—akin to Cruising—addresses the revelation with contemporary empathy interlaced with historical anxiety, harkening back to a time before more feel-good romantic comedies like Love, Simon.

      Plainclothes made its debut at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival.

      Grade: B