Not everything about Carmen Emmi’s Plainclothes is about the titular job and the man, Lucas, who holds said job. Tom Blyth plays Lucas, a young man who also has to deal with family drama involving his mother. That woman, Marie (Maria Dizzia), must deal with her brother Paulie (Gabe Fazio) and his insinuations about Lucas. Paulie may not be wrong about Lucas, a plainclothes police officer who tries to catch men in bathrooms. Every work day seems similar until Andrew (Russell Tovey) walks in, that man seeming to want more from Lucas. As Lucas feels more comfortable to come out of the closet, he discovers what Andrew may stand to lose.

Carmen Emmi’s film seems like it has many elements of queer cinema that are outdated in my opinion. There’s the tortured closet case, there’s Russell Tovey, and there’s film making blurring fantasy from memory, bordering on obtuse. For those who don’t know, I was nine during 1997, this film’s setting, two years before my coming out. And yet, this film also frames queerness as one aspect of Lucas’ identity instead of the defining identity factor. Yes, I know how that reads on the page, but Lucas is someone’s lover, someone’s son, his own man. Plainclothes also captures Lucas’ valid paranoia, something that queer men had a generation before and right now in 2025.

Plainclothes gives its viewers a queer story and laces it with paranoia, a seemingly timeless and altogether valid approach. As the film shows, it’s valid because people within one’s workplace can think that queer people are molesters. Specifically, there’s the precinct commanding officer (John Bedford Lloyd) showing films to Lucas and another rookie. And one may seek refuge from work while being in one’s community, but those people whisper things about you. Sure, there’s some film elements successfully selling this idea, like the sound design of the dinner table whispers. There’s also the intentionally jarring transitions between film and VHS, again signifying Andrew living within Lucas’ mind.

But the main thing selling the paranoia is Blyth’s face and his performance, showing the burden of being closeted in America. His face conveys that Lucas is taking every bit of misinformation about queer people like a sponge, making him mentally worse. Plainclothes also captures his joy in one scene with Andrew, cutting to anguish in another scene when he’s back with family. Yes, Blyth has a good scene partner with Tovey, as both successfully sell the trouble of being a gay man, even in a blue state. Both give gay male viewers what the latter want without giving into the gay male gaze, which the film thankfully doesn’t abuse. And yes, the direction and the writing, despite its flaws, stick the landing with that reveal of Andrew’s role within his community.

Plainclothes is available to watch in select Canadian theatres.