Plain Clothes (1988)
8/10
Quite a Pleasant Surprise!
19 June 2005
This is one of those films that I watched on a Saturday afternoon when there was nothing else on, & man, am I glad I did.

Arliss Howard plays a young detective who must go undercover at a high school in order to clear his younger brother of a murder accusation. Seems straightforward enough, but this film actually tosses in some plot twists that make the viewer have to pay attention. The movie is punctuated by its quirky sense of humour (look for the quick visual gag "Free at Last!" in Robert Stack's office!!) & a refusal to take itself seriously. Adding to the charm of this are excellent performances by Robert Stack, Suzy Amis, Diane Ladd, George Wendt, Seymour Cassel, Reginald VelJohnson, & a howlingly deadpan performance by the great Abe Vigoda!

This film will never win any awards, but the cast are solid & the script is funny. It's a tad more grown-up & far less preachy than most of the '80s pap that garnered all the attention, & if anyone's looking for a good popcorn-muncher that'll give a few good laughs, try this one on for size.
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