Last week an article was released by The City exposing the arrests of over 200 gay men by Amtrak police at a local NYC cruising spot in a Penn Station bathroom. This article, shared by actor Russell Tovey, and a 2016 LA Times article exposing similar sting operations in Long Beach, California, are exactly why films like Carmin Emmi’s strikingly vulnerable Plainclothes remain increasingly important to the cinematic canon today.
A remarkably tender and cinematic directorial debut, Carmen Emmi’s Plainclothes follows Tom Blyth (The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes) as Lucas, an undercover cop, and Andrew (Looking’s Russell Tovey), a married man, who falls victim to Lucas’ policing and becomes the unsuspecting object of his desire. Plainclothes depicts Lucas’ pursuit of Andrew, and the development of their relationship against a backdrop of homophobia and police culture, in 90s Syracuse.
From the opening moments of Plainclothes, what sets Carmen Emmi’s filmmaking apart from other recent directorial debuts is his uninhibited, confident and purposeful approach to film form. Best displayed in his presentation of Lucas’ paranoia and constant surveillance of those around him, Emmi makes use of an HI8 camera to capture up-close details of the film’s ensemble, and static, cold vignettes of phone wires and graveyards, interwoven into the film’s otherwise vintage and often dreamlike aesthetic. Blyth’s Lucas is watchful and reserved, his eyes betraying the assured exterior and revealing his hidden desires, as he yearns for the affections of Tovey’s gentle Andrew.
The success of Plainclothes depends heavily on the chemistry between the film’s two leads, of which Blyth and Tovey are intoxicating. In stark contrast to the muted static of Lucas’ everyday, the pair meet at a grandiose cinema in Syracuse. Vivid reds, oranges and golds fill each frame, as the men share their first intimate moment in the hidden corridors of the adorned moviehouse – their first touch is beautiful, and clever camera work highlights Andrew’s captivating effect on Lucas, who zooms into the gold light bouncing off Andrew’s glasses frame. Every stolen moment between our two protagonists is deeply human – Blyth and Tovey convey their characters’ desires with glimmering vulnerability and grace.
A perfect use of the classic 90-minute runtime, Plainclothes balances perfectly on the line between sensuality and surveillance. Emmi’s HI8 heavy film form places the audience in the role of a voyeur, who invades the solidarity of their suffering protagonist. As the film reaches its climax at Lucas’ Christmas family dinner, Blyth delivers a powerhouse performance. His physicality and emotional intensity throughout Plainclothes serve as another (very welcome) reminder that he is sure to be a recurring star on our screens for years to come.
Tantalising and tender, Plainclothes reminds us that we should never police our feelings, and if you’ve ever felt isolated, misunderstood or trapped in your queerness, Carmin Emmi’s Plainclothes is the independent debut that you must see.
★★★★1/2
In UK Cinemas October 10th / Tom Blyth, Russell Tovey, Christian Cooke, Amy Forsyth, John Bedford Lloyd, Maria Dizzia / Dir: Carmen Emmi / Curzon/ 15
Related
Discover more from
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
