Movie review: My Policeman
As a religious Harry Styles fan, I, like many others, was very excited for My Policeman to come to Prime Video. Although Styles received questionable reviews for his performance in the major blockbuster film Don’t Worry Darling earlier this fall, I was optimistic that he could rise to the occasion; however, this hopefulness may have been due to my natural affinity to him as an artist, as well as the numerous TikTok edits from the movie on my “For-You-Page” that signaled a relatively high viewer satisfaction rate.
After watching My Policeman, I am still determining whether or not Styles is well-suited for a career in acting. What I can say, however, is that his performance, along with the performances of his co-stars, made for a memorable cinematic experience that forces viewers to consider what one is—or is not—willing to put at stake for love.
The film adaptation of Bethan Roberts’s 2012 novel follows the stories of three young individuals. They are entangled in the harsh realities of trying to find love and oneself in a setting where suppression of one’s true identity is encouraged and enforced. Styles, who plays the policeman Tom, is not the only big-name celebrity to capture the eyes of the audience. His co-star, Emma Corrin, who stars as Princess Diana in the Netflix series The Crown, plays a young schoolteacher, Marion, who falls hopelessly in love with Tom. They are joined by a third lead, David Dawson, in the role of the charming museum curator, Patrick.
As the narrative weaves back and forth between the 1990s and the 1950s, the audience comes to know the three characters through a complicated love affair. Though Marion falls in love with Tom and seems to win his affection through marriage, Patrick is the true recipient of Tom’s love. As the story rehashes Tom and Patrick’s relationship, the primary internal tensions that Tom encounters as he grapples with his sexuality directly conflict with the homophobic laws that Tom is technically responsible for upholding. All the while, Marion tries to deny to herself and others what is undeniably true: Tom and Patrick are, indeed, very much in love.
Though the plot itself is compelling enough, the actors’ ability to generate such raw and genuine emotion in their work is what makes the movie truly impressive. Of course, each of the characters has undoubted flaws, but as the actors bring to life the dynamic complexities that accompany the situation and the human condition itself, one is moved to think about how anti-LGBTQ+ societal structures and attitudes are detrimental to individuals in more ways than can ever be anticipated.
In considering and comparing the movie to the novel from which it was adapted, the director made the choice to remain as faithful to the book as possible. With this being said, it is interesting to note that the novel is written in diary entries and letters from Marion and Patrick’s perspectives. In the movie, there is a more holistic view, which simultaneously gives the audience a more in-depth look into Tom’s psyche while also cutting out some of the inner workings of Marion and Patrick’s minds. For viewers that enjoy this movie, I highly recommend the book, as it gives more insight into the characters’ internal hardships.
My Policeman is undoubtedly a story that will leave many viewers teary-eyed. Regardless of the controversy surrounding Harry Styles, it is definitely worth the watch as a reminder of how crucial it is to cherish the ones you love and to fight for the progression of LGBTQ+ rights even in the 21st-century.