Plain Clothes

Arliss Howard (Full Metal Jacket) stars as Nick Dunbar, a tough cop who goes undercover in a local high school to prove the innocence of his younger brother (Loren Dean), who has been accused of murdering a teacher. Nick soon finds himself face-to-face with a power-crazy principal (Robert Stack), a school bully (Peter Dobson), quirky teachers (George Wendt, Diane Ladd, Abe Vigoda) and all the other things that made him hate high school the first time around. However, as Nick tries desperately to solve the crime, he becomes increasingly involved in his newly adopted 1980s punk persona, reveling in the youthful experience, and falling in love with a pretty English teacher (Suzy Amis). A delightful combination of comedy and suspense that features a delirious cast of eccentric character actors including Harry Shearer, Reginald VelJohnson, Larry Pine and Seymour Cassel. Written by Scott Frank (Get Shorty) and directed by Martha Coolidge (Real Genius).