I really wanted to like this movie but it had too many issues. My Policeman could’ve been very good if it had more time in the oven. While the main trio, particularly Harry Styles and David Dawson, are great, the weak script, pacing, and plot bog down this movie and it ends up being a very forgettable way to spend two hours.
The cast is the best part of this movie. I know Harry Styles gets a lot of flack for his acting, but I thought he was very good in this film. He gave a very emotional performance as Tom, a man in two relationships with two very different partners. David Dawson is wonderful as Patrick, a man trying to meet the love of his life halfway but struggling with the toll it is taking on him. Emma Corrin plays Marion fairly well given that her character is the least developed and could have used more attention. Despite this, the casting of this trio ultimately saves the film from being worse than it is.
Production-wise, I’ll give the movie some credit. The 50s aesthetic was done very well and it’s pretty obvious that a lot of time and effort went into nailing that part of the movie. Massive props to the production team.
Unfortunately, the script is weak. This story has been done many times and there is nothing different here to make it stand out. It’s just boring. There are many scenes that are unnecessary and don’t add any value to the story. They could have easily shaved twenty minutes from this movie, and it would’ve played better.
My Policeman’s biggest problem is the plot. Right away, the framing of the story reminds me of The Notebook. The story jumps between two different time periods as we follow this love triangle through their lives. It has all of the usual tropes, and it feels very generic. The scriptwriting is also pretty bland and doesn’t help the situation.
My Policeman misses more than it hits. Fans of Styles will tell you otherwise, but I can’t overlook the many problems this film has. We have seen this story done before but in a much better way.
One Take News 