What’s the problem with My Policeman?@TIFF2022

It was mayhem when Harry Styles was in Toronto for two shows in August. Rumours were swirling that he would return to the city. This time around promoting Michael Grandage‘s My Policeman during the Toronto International Film Festival. To lockdown his presence, TIFF was honouring the ensemble cast of My Policeman with A TIFF Tribute Award. The cast of Harry Styles, Emma Corrin, Gina McKee, Linus Roache, David Dawson, and Rupert Everett would be the first-ever film ensemble to receive this honour. This meant that Harry Styles had no choice but to show up at TIFF.

Love Triangles

My Policeman is based on the book from Bethan Roberts. A tale of forbidden love in a form of a triangle. It is the recurring theme of films at TIFF 2022 where infidelity and unconventional relationships are explored. The film is set in 1950s England where Styles plays a police officer Tom. He falls in love with a woman Marion, played by Emma Corrin, who is mildly curious about his availability. Tom and Marion spark a relationship with one another. Little does she know about Tom’s budding relationship with a museum curator Patrick, played by David Dawson.

The two form a homosexual relationship which was forbidden in 1950s England which Tom was so hesitant to form but enhanced by Patrick. The two keep on the low and behind Marion’s back knowing their jobs, relationships and integrity are on the line. Having to abide by the era’s social institutions, Tom ends up marrying Marion. Things start to intensify because Patrick feels as though he is losing Tom because of his marriage to Marion.

The film seamlessly jumps back and forth from the 1950s to decades later. An era where older Tom, Marion, and Patrick are played by Linus Roache, Gina McKee and Rupert Everett. This is where everyone is trying to pick up the pieces of where they left off. Patrick shows up after suffering a stroke and has no one to turn to but both Marion and Tom. This is where they are reaping what they have sowed. But the last opportunity to make things right. Although, this part of righting the ship was not the focus of My Policeman. It was something else.

Look at all these rumours…

The major rumour circulating on the streets was Harry Styles’ horrible acting in the film. FERNTV felt that Style’s performance of Tom was not as horrific as what everyone made it to be. If it was that bad, then there would be no way that this film would flow the way it did. Maybe the help of the rest of the ensemble made FERNTV overlook the “poor” performance but it was just fine. The thing FERNTV learned from this is the amount of “haters” out there. Especially when it comes to musicians who become actors as well. Or star vehicle type films.

The only problem with My Policeman is the ongoing lack of focus of the social structures that still exist today. Much focus and narrative is how gay rights have progressed since the 1950s. There still an oppression of women by men who are gay as seen in this film. With Tom’s desire of conforming to social conventions such as marriage, Marion is still the third wheel in the film. She is humiliated by Tom and Patrick’s homosexual relationship and really has no one to turn to because of it. At her wit’s end, she goes where no man really has gone before during that time. It suffices to say that a woman takes that step rather than a man in the film. Boy, we still have a lot of work to do today. Nevertheless, too many chiefs saying that Harry can’t act.