A romantic drama that everyone has had their eyes on for quite some time, My Policeman is a film based on the 2012 novel of the same name by Bethan Roberts. It is directed by Michael Grandage with a screenplay from Ron Nyswaner. The film is produced by Berlanti-Schechter Films, Independent Film Company and MGC.
My Policeman stars Harry Styles as PC Tom Burgess and Linus Roache plays the older version of Tom along with Emma Corrin as Marion Taylor, Gina McKee as old Marion Taylor, David Dawson as Patrick Hazlewood, Rupert Everett as old Patrick Hazlewood and Kadiff Kirwan as Nigel. The film has a runtime of 1 hour and 53 minutes.
– Amazon Prime Video’s My Policeman Review Does Not Contain Any Spoilers –
My Policeman: A Cliched Story That Lacks Depth
From Brokeback Mountain to Carol, queer period pieces have found a strong ground in the heart of the world. Be it in terms of screenplay, cinematography or acting performances, the representation of the LBGTQ+ community in films has increased over the years with skill, adroitness and beauty. Thus, the expectations from My Policeman were indefinitely high. And, although the film tries to be ambitious with its style of storytelling, it forgets to add depth and lacks the charm that would make a movie memorable.
The film starts with the viewers meeting an old, retired couple named Tom and Marion, living in a seaside town. The household welcomes an unusual tension when Marion brings in their old friend Patrick to the place to take care of him after he has suffered a massive stroke, instead of putting him in those awful homes. The lives of the old couple are stirred and we jump back to the past to find out how the trio met and what went on between them to bring them to their present state.
Jumping between timelines and examining the layers present in a relationship, My Policeman is essentially a story of love which contributes to the making and breaking of three lives over the years.
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At first glance, the movie does a fine job of capturing your interest. It pulls you in as you get to know the story of Marion, Tom and Patrick when they were young and thriving. However, slowly as the story progresses it starts losing the lustre around it as the actors are unable to deliver convincing performances and the characters never seem to go beyond the surface level.
One of the biggest factors that make a drama worthwhile is the characters who explore more than the black and white of the world that our eyes can see. In the film, Marion, Tom and Patrick have immense potential to go deeper and offer us the complexities that live inside their hearts and heads. However, we can never break the mirror and reach deep into their soul to truly understand them which creates a distinct disconnect between the story and the audience.
It does not help that the leading man, Harry Styles hardly can contribute to the film with his acting skills. The Crown famed Emma Corrin also falls short in her role as Styles’ wife. The only saving grace we find in this movie has to be David Dawson as Patrick whose presence on screen makes you want to watch the movie a little longer.
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My Policeman: Final Verdict
Is My Policeman worth the watch? Definitely! The film is beautifully shot and the narrative is rather engaging. But, does this movie make an impact or any difference in the long run? Possibly not. The storyline is cliche and predictable. Right around the climax, you might very well be able to guess things and the eventual end the film will come to. The potential the film holds gets lost with the passing minutes and it is truly sad because it could be much more than what it is only if it had something more.
You can watch My Policeman on Amazon Prime Video. The film is releasing on the platform on November 4, 2022.
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