Review: 'My Policeman' has a beating heart with its portrayal of queer romance but doesn't elevate the topic

My Policeman

There almost seems to be an overdose of Harry Styles lately where his cameo in Eternals, his recent outing in Don't Worry Darling and now in My Policeman solidify that Styles is now more serious about acting than ever. And hey, I am sure, not many are complaining. While the former two had their share of criticism coming in, with My Policeman he actually is in center stage as compared to others.

Based on the book by Bethan Roberts and having had the chance to see the film beforehand, here is what I thought about it-

Delving into the issues but never actually indulging in them

From the get go, we know about Tom (Styles) and Patrick (David Dawson) having a building same-sex relationship while the former chooses to marry Marion (Emma Corrin) owing to homosexuality being illegal back in the 1950s. The problem arises that this seemingly unconventional love triangle ends up being rather predictable and even vanilla to an extent. We are in the 1950s Brighton here so we get the expected and obvious ridicule from authorities and general public when it comes to homosexuality but director Michael Grandage never quite indulges into this topic and give it the tender treatment it is deserves. The one thing that director Grandage was clear that he didn't want to do was the film to be verbose and indeed, it isn't; but while doing that, it ends up not being poignant and deep enough either.

The Performances

Styles continues to be watchable giving an earnest act. Granted, he is yet to deliver a star act of a performance but one can definitely see his improvement. Emma Corrin as Marion is also brilliant with her performance especially when she comes to know about the big truth about her husband. It is Dawson though, who inserts maximum heart, ache and love into his performance that reflects on-screen. While, the film continues to stay about the younger days, it is the elderly actors playing the older versions of the protagonists who excel. Gina McKee, Rupert Everett, and Linus Roache as older Marion, Patrick and Tom respectively deliver brilliant acts as they amazingly portray the depression, sadness and longing that their characters are feeling.

The intended angle doesn't land while the other one does

If you are making a film about homosexuality that was forbidden and how in the end, it is love that triumphs - you want to feel the most about the two characters playing those roles. And while it does, I found myself a lot more invested and impressed by the arc that Marion was given. Marion's journey of realising her husband is gay and then further coming to terms with the fact that not only is he in a same-sex affair with their friend but also lied about several things from the beginning is expertly shown. One of the highlight sequences for me was Marion giving an expected response (and not being woke right away) where she even terms homosexuality to be 'unnatural' and 'wrong.' The very same woman is then shown to accept it and help her husband and in the climax, her character won my heart. For a film that is supposed to focus and invest you in the male protagonists, it ends up impressing with the sole female involved in this equation.

Powerful Moments But Not Enough

Some moments show flickers of promise be it the very first lovemaking scene between Styles and Dawson which is choreographed and acted with sheer grace, tenderness, awkwardness but a beating heart; or be it Marion's outburst scene and finally the climax. However, by the end of the film, you feel a lot more underwhelmed than impacted and that is due to how the film barely scratches surface in an attempt to showcase a poignant and touching same sex love story.

The Verdict

My Policeman gives you moments of heart, soul and ache that it definitely intended but leaves you rather unsatisfied with its undercooked screenplay and surface-level treatment.

Rating - **1/2 (2.5/5)