My Policeman had everything that it needed for a perfect film.
Filmmaking pedigree, talented ensemble cast, beautiful set design, magnificent costumes and a rather sophisticated and established story.
However, even with all the right ingredients, the final production misses the mark. Its unfortunate, because with the star power, an established story, and the TIFF global stage, this film would have sparked solid conversations.
However, it sadly creates more noise than conversation.
Tom (Harry Styles) and Marion (Emma Corrin) in ‘My Policeman’ | Photo courtesy of Amazon Studios.A narrative that doesn’t do the characters justice
I have a very particular problem with specific genres of films that don’t do enough to really capture what they aim to achieve.
On the one side you have Patrick (David Dawson/Rupert Everett) who knows he is gay and embraces that identity, while still being careful about the social environment in the 1950′.
On the flip side, you have Tom (Harry Styles/Linus Roache) who question’s his sexual identity while still trying to confirm to what society wants of him. His love for his woman Marion (Emma Corrin/Gina McKee) feels more as a veil to who he is, while wanting to be with someone else.
What could have been an exceptional story of love and admiration, and a conversation piece for the gay community, instead focused on only one area: lust. Sure, sexual attraction and intimacy are important catalysts to a relationship whether you are gay or straight, and honestly, would have been needed in this film to establish their love.
However, during the 50’s era of the film, all you got was their lust for each other and not their love. You don’t see their relationship develop beyond being in bed, and honestly, that’s just a shame. Even when things go out the window for both of them, Tom’s love for Patrick and his love for his job and his community identity seem conflicted. Yes, the film is about forbidden love, but love is not just about being in bed. Its living life together, which while it could not be done publicly during the 50’s setting, could have been shown in private or in other parts of the world.
I felt the pain of distance was captured in the 90’s era, with Roache’s Tom and Everett’s Patrick. You got a sense of longing and love, rather than just lust. It would have been nice to see this during each character’s young days, but sadly wasn’t explored.
Marion (Gina McKee) and Patrick (Rupert Everett) in ‘My Policeman’ | Photo courtesy of Amazon Studios.Talents not fully utilized
The cast are captivating, as both who they are in real life and as their characters in this film. Emma Corrin was probably the star highlight for me, as a character who was consistent, timid, polished and engaging. She captured the very emotions of what one would expect from a girlfriend and a wife during that time period, especially in reaction to those whom they love. I felt her performance to be authentic, and Gina McKee’s an extension to that, just much more mature and focused.
David Dawson and Rupert Everett do capture Patrick in a way that captures the viewers attention, though I feel some of the dialogue and direction let down their character. Dawson’s Patrick at times felt more like a sexual predator rather than someone in love, and frankly, that speaks to my point about lust from above. When you focus on such a stereotypical aspect of a community, it starts to become quite uninspiring.
Harry Styles is a captivating man. He has a strong screen presence, but his performance in My Policeman really does fall flat. I felt his dialogue and delivery to be quite bland, with no real gusto. Even moments of intimacy felt…um…not real.
Marion (Gina McKee) and Tom (Linus Roache) in ‘My Policeman’ | Photo courtesy of Amazon Studios.The flow of the narrative
Having two actors play the same character, one in the 50’s and one in the 90’s, is a clever way of creating two separate era’s that can run in parallel, so that they can be compared, reflected upon and studied for the way that people thought, behaved and interacted. The way the film establishes both time frames is a little glitchy in the beginning, but finds its footing through certain narrative vehicles like a set of diaries. What I didn’t care for was the consistent back and forth that left scenes incomplete, and actually felt a little annoying at times.
I also didn’t care for the 40 year gap. What were they doing for 40’s? Why the heck is someone in their house after so long? When you are explained that the film is their “emotional journey spanning decades”, sadly we only got either end of the many decades and not the actual decades in the middle. I felt there were more questions swirling in our heads rather than a smooth narrative, constantly thinking of what could have happened rather than focusing on what was happening in front of you.
I was really looking forward to My Policeman. I think Amazon Studios is really investing in diverse and risky stories, and I feel that is key to their recent successes. However, this film felt a bit rough and incomplete. The story felt fragmented, and the performances a little flat. Maybe I was expecting this film to really go beyond the kinds of stories we’ve already seen in this genre, but sadly, it is not the case.
My Policeman plays as part of the Special Presentations programme at the 47th Toronto International Film Festival. Visit TIFF’s website HERE for all the details on screenings.
Cover Image: Still from My Policeman | Courtesy of Amazon Studios
