Movie Review – Locke

[hero heading=”LOCKE” tagline=”More times than not movies are either remakes, sequels, or televisions shows adapted to film. The industry in that respect has become a little stale when it comes to original ideas.”]In the realm of original films, we have Locke, which is about a top notch construction manager who finds himself in a life changing situation. The decisions he makes after getting into his vehicle following a work day, will forever change his life.

Tom Hardy plays Ivan Locke, the protagonist in the story. He is the only character to appear in the entire film. This is important from an expectation standpoint. Locke is classified as a dramatic thriller, so one could possibly equate that with intense moments concerning an antagonist or other characters. Not the case here. What we get, are conversations over speakerphone, during an hour and a half long car ride.

If you can accept Locke’s minimalist approach, you might enjoy it. Tom Hardy delivers a passionate performance as a man experiencing difficult times in his life. He runs the full gambit of emotions. Tom Hardy gives his second best performance (Warrior the first) of his career.

The casual movie-goer, however, may not sing the movie’s praises. Even with a runtime of 85 minutes, Locke seems to drag along. The uncertainty of the first act is appreciated, because it is an affective distraction. There’s always this concern that you’ve missed the tone-setting scene of the movie. The unfortunate part is that once the narrative becomes clear, a realization sets in that there won’t be any thrilling moments. But there is a fair share of drama. At the end of the day, I was left unimpressed.

The advice I’ll give anyone considering seeing Locke, is have caffeine available, and a great deal of patience.

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Carl

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