Steven Knight, the writer behind Eastern Promises, make his sophomore directorial effort with Locke, a short and crisp feature film starring Tom Hardy in what is essentially a one-man show about a man on a simple yet stressful road trip.
Ivan Locke is a successful construction manager whose latest project involves Europe’s largest concrete pour ever and he’s the man heading it up. Unfortunately, something has come up and he has to head out of town to go see the birth of his child, the result of a one-night stand born out of pity for a woman. Initially, Ivan was supposed to head home and watch the latest football (soccer) match with his wife and two sons, but he’s now had to bow out in order to be a good man, a man unlike his father, and be there when his child is born. As a meticulous and honest family man, Ivan must sort out all of his issues via cell phone as he drives to meet the woman who is giving birth to his child, this includes telling his wife the bitter truth of his absence that night, finding a way to keep his job, instructing his colleague how to successfully manage the pour and fix any other problems that may pop up.
Unlike a majority of films starring one actor on a cell phone, this one doesn’t involve the threat of death, it’s just about a normal, honest guy trying to be responsible and keep his life together as it continues to spiral further and further out of control. Ivan is the kind of guy who runs a tight ship, who is all about the details and solving everything rationally via straight-forward conversations, he doesn’t butter anything up and he doesn’t leave anything out. This is both why he’s so good at his job, why he’s got such a great family and why the idea of him committing adultery and leaving his post on the eve of most important pour of his company’s existence is such a shocker for everyone that discovers the news. Hell, it’s rather surprising for him, but he believes he is doing the right thing by going to visit this woman at the hospital.
What I liked about Knight’s take on the use of just one actor and a variety of voices on cell phones is the way he shot the film. We weren’t exposed to one specific view and confined to the car. The car may have been in every shot but we had both interior and exterior shots, adding a bit more atmosphere to the film and allowing scenes to sink in without having Hardy on screen all the time. Furthermore, it was a tight, straight forward film, coming in at only 85 minutes, so there wasn’t time for any B.S. or unnecessary exposition, everything had relevance and, like Ivan, each shot and each word was deliberately thought out. It’s the compact, concise and intelligent nature of the film that makes it so striking and easily digestible despite the dramatic events unfolding in Locke’s life.
As a pragmatic man, Ivan’s goal is to not be like his father, a man that abandoned him and whom he hates. His goal is to prove to everyone, including his wife, that he is better than that man. There are moments throughout the film after he has delivered the bad news where Ivan begins talking to himself and an imaginary figure in the backseat of his car. This figure is supposed to be his father and whom he begins justifying his actions to as he drives towards his final destination. This shows that Ivan is vulnerable and that he is still haunted by his father even though he’s no longer part of his life, the main weakness which ultimately leads to Ivan’s own demise, or so we are led to believe.
Locke is very much a drama but it has thrilling elements to it which makes it such an interesting film. The story is engaging because it allows us to follow one man’s problematic life as he slowly begins to shatter the world he has created for himself and how he attempts to pick up and glue the pieces back together. Even if he knows certain things are over, he still wants to be responsible and finish what he started, a character trait that’s both admirable and despicable depending on which situation we’re talking about. Hardy is absolutely brilliant in the film so if you’re looking for a film withn engaging story and powerhouse acting then look no further than Steven Knight’s Locke.
Rating: A captivating one-man show that doesn’t need the threat of death to keep us enthralled, all you need is Tom Hardy’s excellent performance (7.3/10)
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