The first trailer for Plainclothes has finally dropped, and it’s already clear this film is going to make waves. Starring the ever-charming Russell Tovey and the magnetic Tom Blyth, the movie offers a raw and intense look at love, betrayal, and the tangled web of identity. Set in the gritty world of 1990s New York City, the film follows Lucas (played by Blyth), a young undercover cop tasked with trapping gay men—a job that, of course, requires him to pretend to be someone he’s not. But when his latest target, Andrew (Tovey), flips the script on him, Lucas is faced with a dilemma that threatens everything.
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Directed and written by Carmen Emmi, Plainclothes is his feature-length directorial debut, and it’s clear this is no ordinary crime drama. The film tackles deeply personal themes of identity, secrecy, and self-deception in the most thrilling way possible. Let’s just say, Lucas’s job of seducing and arresting closeted men takes a dramatic turn when he finds himself falling in love with one of them.
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The Setup: A Job That’s Anything But Routine
The trailer kicks off with Lucas in the men’s room of a public restroom, doing what he’s been trained to do: seduce and arrest closeted gay men. But when he meets Andrew, something shifts. What was supposed to be just another job quickly becomes far more complicated. There’s undeniable chemistry between the two men, making it impossible for Lucas to stick to the plan. Can duty and desire coexist? For Lucas, the answer isn’t so clear-cut.
As the film unfolds, Lucas’s struggle intensifies. What starts as a standard assignment slowly becomes an emotional rollercoaster as Lucas wrestles with the pressure of his mission and the growing attraction to Andrew. And the stakes? Well, they couldn’t be higher. With his job on the line and his emotions getting in the way, the tension mounts as Lucas’s secret relationship with Andrew threatens to unravel everything.
If that wasn’t enough, the film teases a steamy, possibly heart-wrenching, sex scene. But don’t get too comfortable with the romance—Plainclothes is as much a psychological thriller as it is a love story. As Lucas’s paranoia about being exposed grows, so does the feeling that everything he’s worked for is on the brink of falling apart.
A Personal Story That Speaks to the Heart of Queer Struggles
What really sets Plainclothes apart, though, is the deeply personal story behind it. For Emmi, the film is both a love letter to his hometown of Syracuse, NY, and a cathartic exploration of his own journey to live openly as a gay man. He’s open about how he was inspired by real-life undercover sting operations in which gay men were lured into public restrooms and arrested for indecent exposure—a practice that’s shockingly not all that far behind us.
In a filmmaker’s note, Emmi shares how this story came to him while his brother was becoming a police officer. At the same time, he was just beginning to embrace his own queerness, and he became haunted by the notion of police officers participating in stings that targeted vulnerable gay men. This conflict, the fear of exposure, and the societal pressure to conform all played a huge role in the creation of Plainclothes.
“The idea for this film came to me in 2016,” Emmi writes. “At the time, my brother was becoming a police officer, and I was just beginning to live openly as a gay man. I was shocked to learn about a 2014 sting operation in which undercover officers lured and arrested men in a Long Beach park bathroom for indecent exposure.” The connection between the two elements—the tension of coming out and the violence of policing queer spaces—was something Emmi couldn’t ignore, and it ultimately became the crux of Plainclothes.
The film also reflects Emmi’s personal experience of growing up in the ’90s, a time when being gay felt like a “death sentence,” amplified by the rampant fear surrounding AIDS. Emmi recalls, “I vividly recall a mother in a Wegmans grocery line flipping magazine covers with the word ‘gay’ on them so no one could see.” It’s a chilling reminder of how difficult it was for many queer people to simply exist in the open during that era.
A Love Story Amidst Surveillance and Fear
What makes Plainclothes even more compelling is how it mirrors the struggles of so many queer people who’ve had to “police” their own desires and identities for fear of judgment or worse. Lucas’s internal battle becomes a poignant metaphor for the pressures that many of us have faced—or still face—when it comes to accepting ourselves and letting others see us for who we truly are. It’s not just a love story between two men; it’s a love story between a man and his true self.
Emmi’s commitment to authenticity shines through in every frame of the film, as the film’s backdrop—Syracuse in the ’90s—becomes an almost living, breathing character. Emmi’s personal connection to the town is evident, as he revisits key locations like the childhood mall and his grandfather’s greenhouses, infusing the film with layers of emotional weight and nostalgia.
The result? A film that speaks not just to queer audiences but to anyone who has struggled with identity, conformity, or self-acceptance. “I made this film so my seven-year-old self could finally exhale,” Emmi writes. “I made it for the countless people—queer and non-queer alike—who hold their true selves back.”
Final Thoughts: Plainclothes Is More Than Just a Thriller
Plainclothes isn’t just a thriller or a romance; it’s a bold exploration of what it means to be truly free, even when the world seems intent on trapping you in your own fears. With a promising cast, a thought-provoking storyline, and a director with deep emotional investment, Plainclothes promises to be a film that not only captivates but resonates.
Whether you’re looking for a pulse-pounding thriller, a queer love story, or a powerful commentary on societal pressures, this film has it all. And it’s clear from the trailer alone that Emmi’s vision is one we’re going to remember. Prepare yourselves for a rollercoaster of emotions and a love story that dares to ask, “What happens when duty and desire collide?”
It’s safe to say, 2025 just got a lot more interesting.