Plain Clothes

Directed by Martha Coolidge, Plain Clothes follows a police officer (Arliss Howard’s Nick Dunbar) as he goes undercover within a local high school to prove that his brother (Loren Dean’s Matt) is innocent of the crime for which he’s been accused. It’s a solid (albeit thoroughly ridiculous) premise that’s employed to distressingly uninvolving and surprisingly lifeless effect by Coolidge, as the filmmaker, armed with a script by Scott Frank, delivers a sluggish and mostly laugh-free comedy that remains unable to wholeheartedly capture the viewer’s interest and attention – with the arms-length atmosphere compounded by a narrative that grows less and less interesting as it unfolds (ie Nick’s investigation is hardly as compelling as Coolidge has obviously intended). There’s little doubt, as well, that Plain Clothes’ failure is due in no small part to its refusal to embrace the fish-out-of-water elements inherent in its setup, and it’s clear, too, that Howard’s smug, unconvincing performance does little to alleviate the mostly lackluster and underwhelming atmosphere. (The picture does, at least, boast entertaining work from a stacked supporting cast that includes George Wendt, Suzy Amis, and Robert Stack.) By the time the tedious, action-heavy climax rolls around, Plain Clothes has cemented its place as a disappointingly half-baked endeavor that squanders its seemingly foolproof subject matter.

** out of ****