Would you watch a film where Tom Hardy drives a car for 85 minutes and has several animated phone conversations? If you said yes to that question, “Locke” is the perfect film for you. However, if you said no, then hopefully this article will convince you to give “Locke” a chance.
“Locke” can best be described as a film about one man trying to do the right thing, despite all of the obstacles in his way. The film was released in 2013 and was written and directed by Steven Knight, who received an Academy Award nomination for his screenplay of “Dirty Pretty Things.” The film stars Hardy as Ivan Locke, an architectural foreman who upends his personal and professional life in order to attend the birth of his child, despite the child being born out of wedlock. The supporting cast includes Academy Award winner Olivia Colman, known for “The Favourite,” and Spider-Man himself, Tom Holland.
The real highlight of “Locke” and the main reason to watch the film is the powerhouse performance by Hardy. The premise of the film requires Hardy to constantly engage the audience with both his physical and verbal acting, as he is the only character to appear on screen. In most cases, this would be a recipe for disaster, because few actors can dominate the screen alone for a whole film without being able to leave their car. However, Hardy accepts the challenges and absolutely knocks it out of the park.
The character of Locke is certainly larger-than-life due to the acting, writing and directing of the film. Hardy may be the star, but Knight’s screenplay is crafted cleverly enough to give him developed motivations and a moral dilemma that makes the audience question what they would do in the same situation.
“Locke” manages to explore a lot of rich thematic content, yet is neither too subtle nor beats the audience over the head with it. Locke must decide where his priorities lie, as he has to choose between his job, his legitimate family and his child born from a previous affair. While it may seem like an easy decision at first, as the audience learns more and more about Locke’s past, it becomes clear that he is just trying to do what he considers to be right. Interestingly, Locke can be perceived as both the protagonist and antagonist of the film, as he is trying to correct both a mistake his father made and a mistake he made. Even if the audience does not agree with his decision, they can understand his thought process and empathize with his internal conflict.
One thing that may hold current film audiences back from watching “Locke” is that it would be considered an art house film. Generally speaking, art house films are independently produced and feature a strong artistic vision that would typically be stifled by the Hollywood studio system. Art house films can easily be seen as too artsy, esoteric or even boring to be enjoyed by most film audiences, but “Locke” breaks this cycle with a compelling narrative and an artistic style that anyone can follow. Film critic Rohan Morbey sums it up best by saying that “’Locke’ is minimalist, art house cinema at its best.”
Knight cleverly uses cinematography and shading to set up visually appealing shots that also reflect Locke’s current emotional state. For instance, one of the most memorable scenes occurs when Locke talks to his wife on the phone. During this scene, Locke’s face is placed onto the left part of the screen, leaving the rightmost three-quarters of the screen in complete darkness. This shot expertly demonstrates Locke’s detachment from his wife and the corner he has put himself into.
“Locke” is a great example of an art house film with the potential to also appeal to mass audiences. Knight masterfully crafts a well-paced narrative with his sharp script and visually creative direction which combines with Hardy’s hearty performance to create one of the most powerful films of the 2010s that everyone should give a chance. “Locke” is currently available for streaming on SHOWTIME or for rent on Amazon.
Eli Engler is a freshman majoring in chemistry.