My Policeman is a beautifully shot, visually appealing and well-constructed film, but one that merely scratches the surface of the themes of forbidden love, the persecution of gay people in the 1950s, betrayal and finding freedom.

The adaptation of Brighton author Bethan Roberts' novel of the same name centres around the ill-fated romantic triangle between policeman Tom (Harry Styles), his wife Marion (Emma Corrin), and male lover Patrick (David Dawson) in 1950s Brighton.

The film flits seamlessly between the 50s and 90s and starts in Peacehaven, where Marion and Tom are retired and still struggling with the events of 40 years before.

The story behind the new film, which also features actors Gina McKee and Rupert Everett, who play Marion and Patrick in later life, is based on the life of renowned author EM Forster and his relationship with a policeman in the 50s.

David Dawson steals the show with a beautiful portrayal of the lonely, yet upbeat and cultured museum curator Patrick.

The elephant in the room, however, is Harry Styles' performance and the jarred delivery of his lines that sees him lapse into his native Northern twang before remembering he is supposed to be a Southern policeman.

To be fair to Styles, the script is wanting with the result that the pain, anguish and betrayal felt by the three main characters is not fully realised and comes across cold and stunted in some scenes.

Emma Corrin gives a solid performance as Marion but is given little to do and there are similarities in her performance as Diana, Princess of Wales in Netflix hit The Crown.

Aesthetically, My Policeman is a feast for the eyes with Brighton’s architecture and shots of the coast creating a gorgeous backdrop to the film, which serves as a visual ode to the city that author Bethan Roberts has called home for over 30 years.

The vintage and moody surroundings of the city make the feature more artistic and as the film jumps to the 90s the stark seascapes reflect the grey and morose older characters.

This aesthetic, and some standout performances, act as a prop for the film.

While audiences cannot help but feel a myriad of emotions at the struggles of the three characters, including anger at the circumstances that sees them robbed of the love and life they could have had, the film is often one dimensional and doesn’t have the time to properly explore and unpack the complex themes deeply enough to result in as meaningful a piece of cinema as it could have been.

My Policeman is in selected cinemas from October 21 and arrives on Prime Video on November 4.