Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) has become the latest studio to put forth a LGBTQ romantic film for mainstream audiences with the release of its trailer for “My Policeman” starring Harry Styles.
What Happened: The film, which is based on Bethan Roberts’ 2012 novel of the same name, spans two time periods: in 1957, when homosexuality was still considered a crime under British law, and in the 1990s.
In the 1957 story, Styles plays a policeman who is has an affair with a museum curator (David Dawson) even though he is supposedly happily married (Emma Corrin stars as his wife).
In the 1990s story, Linus Roache, Rupert Everett and Gina McKee play the older versions of the characters, who belatedly come to terms with the actions that disrupted their relationships from decades earlier.
While the trailer does not go into depth on the dramatic plot twists within “My Policeman” — indeed, the 1990s story is absent from its presentation it offers thinly veiled references to the emotional tumult experienced by the male leads, with Styles’ character viewing a painting of a storm at sea and commenting about how he gets the sensation of “swimming in rough surf” while Dawson’s character responds with: “You just have to let it take hold of you.”
Although there is a very brief shot of Dawson taking an apprehensive Styles by the back of his neck, there is no same-sex kiss in the trailer, although Styles and Corrin engage in a full-throttle kiss.
Why It Matters: For many years, Hollywood studios have mostly avoided producing and distributing films focused on LGBTQ romance, leaving the genre to smaller independent producers working in limited theatrical releases to art house venues.
The 2005 “Brokeback Mountain” was one of the few films of the genre to find a mainstream audience, although that film was an independent co-production of Focus Features and River Road Entertainment and its widest U.S. theatrical release was somewhat smaller from mainstream titles.
This year, Hollywood’s aversion to highlighting LGBTQ romantic films has lifted. In addition to “My Policeman,” the Walt Disney Co.’s (NYSE:DIS) Searchlight Pictures division has brought the LGBTQ rom-com "Fire Island" to the Hulu streaming service, while Comcast Corp.’s (NASDAQ:CMCSA) Universal Pictures has the LGBTQ rom-com "Bros" opening theatrically on Sept. 30.
“My Policeman” will open in limited theatrical release on Oct. 21 and will premiere on Amazon Prime Video on Nov. 4.
Photo: David Dawson and Harry Styles in "My Policeman," courtesy of Amazon
