The Policeman: Harry Styles plays the role of a guy who is secretly trying to get out of his closet

Harry Styles is a one-talented singer who has also pulled out some good characters through his unconventional acting. He chooses his script according to the worthiness of the character portrayal.

Harry is approaching in style

Recently, Harry Styles attended the Toronto International Film Festival Sunday for the world premiere of his film, My Policeman. If anybody is flying high from One Direction, it is Harry Styles. The boy has shown more talent and flexibility than anyone out there.

My Policeman is a movie he might always want to do, and he got the chance to portray it in the best way possible. However, Harry Styles gave some time before the screening and discussed his character at a press conference.

Harry Styles talked about the intricate details of his onscreen character Tom, a closeted gay policeman. A man struggling with his sexual orientation and feeling trapped within his body is what Tom’s character is represented by Harry Styles.

The timing shown in the movie was the 1950s when LGBTQ was considered a mental disorder rather than an acceptance of choice. It was very difficult for people back then to accept that a man could get attracted to another man. The orthodox society broadened that a man can only go with a woman, which is how it should be.

Nevertheless, nature has never been so restrictive, and love has no boundaries. Love is love in every form. It’s an intense feeling that any mind can feel for another mind without trapping the soul inside the body.

Also Read: All-inclusive Internet is debating whether or not Harry Styles spat on Chris Pine during the Venice Film Festival

The actors playing along with the singer

Harry Styles plays opposite Emma Corrin, who plays the role of Marion, his wife. Marrion is shown as a teacher in the movie where Harry Styles loves her, but it is nothing more than affection towards her.

However, it is David Dawson who plays the role of Patrick, a museum curator who Tom is dating behind closed doors. It is not that he is cheating on his wife; he is failing to defy the intense emotions he feels toward Patrick. These intense emotions are much different, much more feeding to his soul, but it was the 1950s, and people did not believe in these kinds of relationships.

In the words of Harry Styles

“I think he’s very curious,” Styles said of his character Tom. Harry Styles has found intense curiosity within his character Tom, who is trying harder to find his way of finding himself.

“I think he’s someone who has carried himself into a very miniature world and, if you’re born into that kind of environment, you feel like you know where the edge of the world is. Slowly throughout the story, I think he’s realizing that it is a little further away than Brighton.” Harry Styles stated it in the press conference. They say a frog who lives in a well can never know the taste and adventure of the water of the Ocean.

Harry’s character Tom is somewhat like that little frog who doesn’t know what it’s like to explore his most desired side. He wants to be himself and come out of the closet, but he knows he can’t keep societal standards during the 1950s.

“I think people live entire lives in very small bubbles like that. If that’s how you’ve been brought up, and everyone around you and generations before you, your parents, etc., have all lived within their small bubble, it’s very complicated to even picture the world outside of that.” Harry Styles has placed his thought procedure on the character he has played.

Styles himself has been very explorative in his sexual life. However, his character is defined by all the happiness, fun and thrill in his relationship, which he always wanted to have. Tom has always, deep down, know that he has a special attraction towards men, but he did not want to cheat on his wife; regarding society, he never cared about it.

“So I think when he meets someone like his lover Patrick, who is well-traveled and likes art, he finds himself kind of being curious about those things,” Harry Styles describes the character of Patrick from the perspective of Tom. According to the storyline, Tom has always been hiding in a closet, struggling with his inner desires and intense cravings, which he could never explain to anyone.

The way toward acceptance of himself

“It’s feeding his curiosity, it’s kind of strange for him to be curious about stuff. And then I think with Marion he also finds ultimately a friend who is the most accepting of him, and I think that’s why, kind of regardless of whichever way you think of their relationship, I think their friendship is incredibly real and loving and tender.” Harry Styles concludes his statement at the conference.

According to Harry Styles, Patrick’s carefree attitude urged Tom to come out of his closet and try to do something he has always wanted: love a man, touch him, feel him and embrace his inner homosexuality. The 1950s was the time when homosexuality was considered a shocking taboo. So, finding a way to express his feelings, Tom wanted to be touched and loved by Patrick.

But, then again, he always loved Marion because she accepted him the way he had been and never forced him to do anything which might make him feel humiliated. Then again, he loves Marion as a best friend, and the relationship between Marion and Tom is true, but not how the world sees it. The triangle love-equation among these three people makes us think of the times when people had to chew a bullet to go through their starvation. They used to be defied by his physical and mental food – Harry Styles represents all those men who were deprived of their true call from the soul during the past times.

Positive critical reviews

Toronto International Film Festival has highly appreciated the movie’s content as it approaches the struggle of the LGBTQ community during the 1950s. The taboos forced them to stay inside the closet even though they were mentally, psychologically and emotionally famished.

The cast of My Policeman was revered and honoured for approaching the topic, which might have let many people go to eternal sleep with unfulfilled and deserving desires and wants.

The Toronto International Film Festival gave the Tribute Award for Performance, marking the first ever film whose entire cast was presented with the award. They were tributed with the courage to bring up such a sensitive topic in the most graceful way possible.

My Policeman will be released in cinema theatres on October 21, 2022, and is also set for streaming on Prime Video in November. 4, 2022.

Nandini