My Policeman Explores the Sorrow Starring Harry Styles
The 2012 Bethan Roberts novel, My Policeman, was adapted into a gripping, poignant, and profoundly wistful film that will likely be best appreciated stylistically, thematically, and romantically if judged more within the context of its primarily mid-20th century setting than by modern cultural expectations.
Review: ” My Policeman ” explores the sorrow and desire of a sexual triad starring Harry Styles.
If anything, the film’s vivid recreation of a period when there was more repression, in this case in England, where homosexual activity between men was long illegal (it was first decriminalized on a conditional basis in 1967), serves as a stark and important reminder of how far LBGTQ+ rights and acceptance have advanced in many parts of the world—and perhaps how flimsy such equality still is.
Young police officer of My policeman Tom (Harry Styles) and the director of the local museum Patrick (David Dawson) have a fortuitous encounter in 1957 Brighton that develops into much more than a partnership.
As a sort of troika, Tom, his unaware girlfriend Marion (Emma Corrin), and the cosmopolitan Patrick engage in a riotous sequence of summery adventures. But when Tom and Marion are marry, the trio becomes a pair of duelling duos, and there are inevitably emotional, social, and sexual repercussions, including one extremely serious betrayal.
However, the main narrative is presenting in backstory from the 1990s,
When we find the elder Patrick (Timothy Hutton), Tom (Linus Roache), and Marion (Gina McKee) (Rupert Everett)reuniting under, to put it mildly, challenging circumstances: Against Tom’s desires, Marion has made arrangements for Patrick, who had a stroke that changed the course of his life, to recover in their seaside house with them.
The presence of his ex-lover, however severely disabled he may be, is obviously too much for Tom to handle. Also the former bobby, who has mostly closed off the “Patrick” chapter of his past life. Declines to just see him (not easy in such a small house). But Marion implements her own particular strategy after reading some of Patrick’s old journals or perhaps just accepting the life she’s settling for so long. Even though it may not be a much unexpecting move, it is nonetheless elegantly understates and rewarding.
The movie could have benefited from a bit more behavioral analysis of each of the main characters as well as a stronger recap of their lives between the tale’s two time periods.
It is stirringly shot by Ben Davis (that hallway image of the older Marion. This secretly watching Tom watching Patrick is a knockout), evocatively scoring by Steven Price. Also sprinkled with several familiar, well-used standards.
The personas of the younger and older Tom also don’t quite mesh together; there is a certain disconnect between them. Despite the lingering and intricate effects of Tom’s affair with Patrick. The soft guilelessness and calm charm of his 1950s self-seem to have disappeared from the surlier. More distant Tom of the 1990s (no fault of the talented Roache).
Fortunately, young Tom is basically such a likeable and moving figure that he wins the day here.
He is engagingly portraying with a kind of approachable dreamy. Everyman charisma by actor-pop star-“it boy” Styles. Dawson also strikes an intriguing, sympathetic figure. Everett makes the most of a small but demanding role. While Corrin and McKee make a good mix as the vulnerable, patient Marion’s partners.
For more entertaining news, Click here.