I could easily describe "My Policeman" as a boring movie and just "rest my case" ... however that's not the real problem here.
The beginning of the film is confusing and it takes time and patience in order to realize what is going on and who is who!
Marion, a middle aged woman (Gina McKee) takes under her care Patrick, an invalid man (Rupert Everett) despite her husband's Tom (Linus Roache) objections. She starts reading Patrick's diaries and it takes us back to 1950's. Tom (Harry Styles) who is a policeman, Patrick (David Dawson) a museum curator and Marion (Emma Corrin) a teacher, are inseparable.What we learn later is that Tom and Patrick have an illegal affair and Tom marries Marion in order to cover the fact. However, Marion becomes aware of the situation and takes desperate actions.
The film lacked purpose! A forbidden love during dangerous times ? OK! A common story which could certainly have been presented in a much more appealling way like in "Maurice" (1987).
What is the nature of this effort?
A love drama? A love triangle? Acceptance? Regrets?
One word can describe it better: A Masquerade! The characters act like soulless puppets and try to convince us that they experience an ordeal for which we are unable to feel any compassion.
Even the end of the movie was inadequate. It could have saved the day if at least in the end we could witness a more passionate expression of love or remorse or pain but No! We were not granted even this satisfaction! We are many decades later and homosexuality is not a crime but nothing seems to have changed in these three peoples' lives. Tom is unaffected by Patrick's suffering and Marion is still an homophobic trapped in a fake marriage. Her last scene reminded me of Briony in "Atonement" but only in terms of pettiness.
What I found refreshing was David Dawson. His acting was great and he seemed as if he had come out of another era. A genuine, melancholic and handsome figure who left the best impressions. Harry Styles (for whom I think is a great artist) was out of place. He put a genuine effort but the result was lukewarm and lacked passion.