The Hunger Games breakout star Tom Blyth is returning to screens with the new drama thriller Plainclothes, which just released its trailer. Plainclothes stars Blyth, alongside Russell Tovey, and “follows a promising undercover officer ᴀssigned to lure and arrest gay men who defies orders when he falls in love with a target.“
Plainclothes is set in the 1990s in Syracuse and features the supporting cast of Amy Forsyth, Christian Cooke, Maria Dizzia, and Gabe Fazio. Interestingly, it also appears to have flashback framing, as the narrative actually follows Lucas (Blyth) when he “loses a letter no one was ever meant to read” at his mother’s New Year’s Party, prompting him to reflect on events from months earlier.
Plainclothes is said to be an intense and complex thriller, driven by the lead’s inner turmoil. Written and directed by Carmen Emmi, Plainclothes has garnered a decent 79% score on Rotten Tomatoes ahead of its theatrical release on Sept. 19, 2025, following its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival. Check out the trailer for Plainclothes below:
What This Means For Tom Blyth & Plainclothes
79% means Plainclothes is not atop the Rotten Tomatoes charts, but its reviews have been largely positive. Screen Rant‘s Mae Abdulbaki reviewed Plainclothes and implored the industry to “please give Tom Blyth all the awards for his stunning turn in [this] anxiety-driven LGBTQ+ thriller,” rating it 8 out of 10.
That being said, Plainclothes could still become a sleeper hit among audiences. Coming out in September is a point in its favor, as it is a less compeтιтive time at the box office, before the wave of awards season hopefuls. Additionally, as Abdulbaki points out, the leading star is a major reason to go see this movie.
Blyth already gave a great performance as a morally dubious protagonist in a fraught romantic relationship in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, and absolutely deserves more opportunities to show off his dramatic talent. Thus, Plainclothes could be the next major launchpad in the rising star’s career.
Our Take On Tom Blyth’s Plainclothes
Plainclothes sounds like an incredibly stressful watch, and also a movie I worry for as a soft-spoken indie picture that deserves all the accolades but might not have the exposure for this to happen. But people have enjoyed new spins on the thriller genre, and Plainclothes is an intriguing premise for its entwined elements of romance, thriller, and drama.
It also promises to deftly explore LGBTQ+ idenтιтy in a particular time and place, and under especially unique circumstances. Hopefully, Plainclothes will get its sH๏τ at the box office, and the trailer may help, doing an excellent job of illustrating the tension that is the backbone of the picture.
