My Policeman
In the late 1990s, the arrival of elderly invalid Patrick into Marion and Tom’s home triggers the exploration of seismic events from 40 years previous: the passionate relationship between Tom and Patrick at a time when homosexuality was illegal.
- Released:
- Runtime: 120 minutes
- Genre: Drama, Romance
- Stars: Emma Corrin, Harry Styles, David Dawson, Linus Roache, Gina McKee, Rupert Everett, Dora Davis, Kadiff Kirwan, Andrew Tiernan, Jack Bandeira, Tristan Sturrock, Richard Dempsey, Maddie Rice, Róisín Monaghan, Pierre Bergman, Paul Candelent, Sarah Lockett, Ian Drysdale, Joseph Potter, Harry Attwell, James Hare, James Hare-Cole, Richard Cant
- Director: Michael Grandage
Comments
- nochypeunderscore - 19 June 2024
Great movie, I recommend
My Policeman has been such a moving movie. The way that it's editing to go back between present time and past time really was creative and I thoroughly enjoyed the cinematography of this movie. I will warn you, I had tissues ready, but I ran out. My tear ducts were not ready for that. I really did wish it didn't end as abruptly, but otherwise the pacing of this movie was just splendid. Harry style's acting is just impeccable and though he is more popular for his music, I really do find his acting to be more encapsulating. Also, I really love how the character Tom is portrayed as going back and forth between Patrick and Marion. Overall, wonderful movie, 9/10 just because of the somewhat abrupt ending. - omallieharp - 4 September 2023
Well-Acted, Beautiful and Sorrow
During press for this movie, Harry Styles, who plays Tom, astutely observed that, "the whole story is about wasted time, and I think wasted time is the most devastating thing, because it's the one thing we cannot control. It's the one thing you can't have back." He perfectly encapsulated the somber tone of the film and the grief of having to leave an 'all consuming' love behind over social expectations and the English laws in 1957, where the story begins.
The story is told from the alternating perspectives of the characters Patrick and Marion as each of them document and reminisce on their relationships with the same man; Tom. Two timelines unfold in parallel; one from their youth in 1957, and one later in life in the 1990's as the tales from their younger days surface and past secrets come to light.
Prior to seeing the movie, I did read the book of the same title about a year before the film adaptation was released. While they are very close in all major aspects, I appreciated the changes that were made very much. The most significant of them all being Emma Corrin's portrayal of Marion. Corrin added so much warmth to the role and turned the character's dynamic with the other two into a much more engaging affair than it was in the source material. Their character could've otherwise been written off as a one-dimensional villain, but their flawless performance cuts off that cliche before it starts.
The palpable chemistry between Styles and David Dawson, playing Patrick, is the greatest selling point of the film. They are at the helm of all tenderness in the story and share such a deep connection that there's no leap of logic necessary to justify why the pair still think of each other thirty years later.
I will say, the amount of sensitive material and the large gap in acting experience between the pair at the time of taking on the project gave me pause when I first heard rumors about the project. As it turns out, there was no reason to be hesitant. My Policeman is a faithful adaptation at its core and even makes some improvements along the way.
