Film Review: Locke (2013)

Ivan Locke (Tom Hardy) works for a construction company and throughout the entire film he talks on the phone while driving in his car. As the film progresses we find that he'd left work without plans of coming back the next morning for a monumental job; a woman that he hardly knows is pregnant with his child and has gone into labor; and he's about to tell the news to his wife.

Why and where is he driving? I won't tell you. Does this have a happy or sad ending? I won't tell you that, either. I believe that I already wrote too much as it is.

Tom Hardy is the only actor that we see on screen throughout the entire film and as a result the weight of the film falls almost entirely on his shoulders. He's a terrific actor, one of the best working today, and here he delivers the goods. He sports a Welsh accent and is thoroughly consistent with it, and he speaks like a real person should. There's a lot of gravitas to his character and it's written and performed to great effect.

Locke is written and directed by Steven Knight (screenwriter of Dirty Pretty Things and Eastern Promises) who writes a compelling story, practically as a stage play. And everyone that Locke speaks to on the phone also sound like real people. That's the sign of a good screenplay.

This film depicts, quite possibly the worst night of anyone's life and the events of the film unfold in the same amount of time that the film runs on, which is just over 80 minutes. There's a naturalistic progression to the story and Locke's character arc that are entirely seamless, and when the films ends it ends.

You could watch it in the theatres like I had, or you could watch it at home when it is released on home video. But one thing's for sure: the story is good and Hardy gives a very naturalistic, commanding performance. It's mostly subtle, because that's how his character behaves and sounds, but it's very powerful, nevertheless.

Locke comes highly recommended, but make sure to watch it only when you're in the mood for a really good, unique drama that features essentially only one actor and a single setting.