An Overall Average Adaptation

One of the most surprising turn of events this year has to be the rise of Harry Styles’s acting career. Since his acting debut in Dunkirk, the question of where the pop stars acting career would go lingered on many people's minds. With the release of the infamous Don’t Worry Darling, the idea of Styles legitimately entering the film scene seemed definitively resolved: absolutely not. However, after seeing My Policeman, I no longer have qualms about his talent as an actor.

Now, when it comes to the film itself, My Policeman is another addition to the array of films that adapt under-the-radar books. My Policeman is a slow, self-contained (to a fault), and soft movie. It attempts at experimenting by switching between two time periods. Thus, each story unravels gradually, one moment after another. In all honesty, this was my least favorite aspect of the film. The story would have greatly benefited from more restraint in its scope.

Surprisingly, the film is technically brilliant. Ben Davis’s cinematography is lush and gorgeous. The score, production design, and costumes were also all top-notch. Really, my main issue with My Policeman aside from the storytelling was the casting. While Harry Styles, Emma Corrin and David Dawson were able to deliver hard-hitting performances, the chemistry between them failed to keep me invested. Styles’s and Dawson’s characters were interesting, but I was left wanting more of their relationship and interactions. Emma Corrin’s character Marion had all the pieces laid out to be a compelling character, but they were overshadowed by awkward costar interactions.

My Policeman is a film that at first glance seems shallow and dull. But when you dive deep into the core aspects of the film, what you find is an aesthetically astonishing film. While the story and characters can be a bit lacking, the technical aspects of the film create an overall satisfying experience.

6/10