By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK? *****

WHERE? BFI Southbank, film released in the UK Friday 10 October 2025

‘Shame is such a wonderful thing to play as an actor,’ says Tovey as he reflects on how his part in Angels In America next door at the National Theatre saw him cast here.

• Read on for reasons including how we can see why Tovey referred to this as a film he would have loved to have seen when he was younger

1st time writer/director Carmen Emmi saw the filmed version of Angels while writing the script about a police officer whose job is to honeytrap gay men into intimate situations in public toilets so they can be arrested yet is disarmed when he meets Tovey’s charismatic older man.

Tovey says: ‘It’s set in the US in the 90s but only last week there was a report about something similar in New York with hundreds being arrested and others being handed over to ICE (US Immigration and Customs Enforcement).

‘It feels like as a community we are being othered and this is exactly the sort of film that I would have wanted to see when I was younger and these are exactly the sorts of films that I want to keep making.’

Tovey adds that the film was low budget – a ‘miracle’ that it was shot in just 18 days – and yet as a viewer that’s not the feeling you’re left with while watching it on the big screen.

Tom Blyth’s character Lucas Brennan is the cop who suffers a crisis of confidence when his father dies, he’s threatened with being replaced by a younger, cuter policeman because his arrest rate is falling and he finds himself attracted to Tovey’s closeted Andrew instead of arresting him.

We were reminded of the homo-erotic qualities of 80s film Top Gun as Lucas, his potential replacement and senior officer work out in the gym before hitting the showers with Lucas’ eyes – and perhaps even those of his sergeant – being drawn to the impossibly toned naked physique of the rookie.

Blyth’s character is lost, feeling shame needing guidance from the older man but is disappointed when he tracks him down and discovers the reason why he normally only sees the young men he meets for sex once only.

Plainclothes is 1 of the best films of the year so far and, given current events and a community under threat, this feels like exactly the sort of movie that as many people should see as possible.

It boasts a terrific framing device which we’ll say no more about and we can really see why Tovey referred to this as a film he would have loved to have seen when he was younger.

We won’t give away the ending but it’s a surprise, packs a real punch and overwhelms any gay shame with queer positivity.

• Main pictures by Plainclothes courtesy BFI Southbank Tickets
• Have you seen a Russell Tovey film/show before and what did you think of this 1? Let us know what you thought in the comments below
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