The only reason I saw this movie was because Tom Hardy was in it. Well, that and the fact that the guy who wrote the brutally depressing Eastern Promises also wrote and directed this movie. I can only hope that Hardy doesn't resort to only making big budget nonsense just so that he can try and break through in America. Sure he was Bane in the forgettable third installment of Chris Nolan's Batman trilogy but really anyone could have had a giant mask covering their face, making it impossible to understand a word of what they were saying. It could have honestly been Charles Barkley as Bane and no one would have been the wiser; just make him wear long sleeves the entire time. The point is, you need to see the movie Bronson to get a true feel for this man's talents. You may see his unit one too many times for your liking but you also see the true range he has as an actor. My fear is that he will become the next Sam Worthington, who if it weren't for the 30 Avatar sequels that are coming out, would be auditioning to be the 5th member of Vince's posse in Entourage the movie.
In Locke, you are taken through Ivan Locke's (Hardy) 90 minute drive from wherever his home is to the city of London on the eve of the biggest day of his professional career. But he gets a distressing call from someone that will change his life forever. As the story unfolds you learn that he had a one night stand less than a year ago and as a result of it the woman is pregnant and about to give birth. The woman, whose name is Bethan, has no family or true friends that can be there for the birth, so he decides to do what he considers the right thing and that is to drive down to be with her for the birth of their child, even though he barely knows her. There are also some additional experiences from his past that are haunting him and this certainly plays a role in his curious decision. On the way to her he has to balance keeping Bethan, who is obviously a head case, calm while also breaking the news of what is happening to his wife and kids. Oh and there's still the matter of trying to set up and prepare everything for the largest cement pour in his company's history; for which he's in charge of overseeing. The thing is, its next to impossible to do this over the phone, so his company is freaking out.
Steven Knight (writer/director) does an excellent job of keeping your attention by basically making Locke's cellphone the co-star. Every time a name pops up on the phone, you immediately expect the worst as more and more challenges spring up. I'm also not sure how much creative control he gave his director of photography but visually there are some scenes that are quite stunning. No there aren't any action scenes but the lenses they use to show the environment around him and the role it plays in his struggle to not only balance the stress he's experiencing but also his health and fatigue, add yet another dimension to the story.
And this movie doesn't work if it doesn't have someone that can command the screen like Hardy can. The calm and confidence he shows throughout the film makes you believe that everything will work out in spite of all of the evidence that points to the contrary. Also Ruth Wilson, who plays the role of his wife, makes your heart break every time she talks to Locke after finding out the horrible news. I can't really describe the emotions I was feeling after I left the theater but the mere fact that I felt anything was a plus in my mind. I have paid money to see movies with a 300 million dollar budget before and left the theater only thinking about what tacos I was about to eat.
I rate this movie as FRESH and I suggest that you at least pop in on Netflix.
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