Director: Steven Knight
Stars: Tom Hardy and a lot of disembodied voices
It’s an important day for Ivan Locke (Hardy). A building project is going to be completed the following day, and a woman he slept with is going to have a baby, so he’s on the way to London to see her. During the journey he has to try and explain to his wife the situation, and then everything starts falling apart at work…
Locke is a short film set in the confines of a car. The camera never leaves the car, and it focuses solely on Tom Hardy. Hardy has quickly become one of the most versatile actors in Hollywood, and it’s a joy to concentrate on a master for the duration of a film. One of the things I’ve noticed about Hardy is how much he uses his voice as a part of the character, and here he adopts a mild affectation, very soft-spoken, but with an edge of authority. It’s really interesting to watch as everything he’s worked for spirals out of control, and all he can do is try and make phone calls to limit the damage.
Despite the personal drama he’s going through, I actually found the film to be quite mellow to watch. It’s the equivalent of being present during a long drive at night time as a passenger, without having to concentrate on the roads. The story unfolds at a good pace and although it comes in at just shy of 90 minutes it doesn’t feel rushed at all. It’s a really interesting movie and just another testament to Hardy’s talent.