Locke Movie Review

What does it take to come up with a new idea for a film? Innovation is quite the risk in any kind of entertainment as audiences may or may not be drawn to it or the film may suffer from poor direction and writing. It tends to be a relatively safe bet for filmmakers to make movies that appeal to as wide an audience as possible for the purpose of profits; so it’s all the more encouraging that director Steven Knight chose a different direction with Locke, one of the more unique and interesting ideas to come about in modern film.

Locke takes place almost entirely inside a BMW X5 and follows the titular character as he drives along the motorway. As Ivan (Tom Hardy) drives he calls (and receives calls) from several individuals including his wife (Kirsty Dillon) and co-workers Donal (Andrew Scott) and Gareth (Ben Daniels). It sounds like a really basic concept at first; a movie where very little happens but as Locke gets closer and closer to his undisclosed location an enormous amount of development take place. We learn about Locke’s attitude to his job as a building site supervisor and the people he knows; deeds that slowly wander out into the open and even elements of his own past. It all culminates in immense change, sending Locke’s life spiralling out of control in an expertly crafted amount of suspense. What pulls everything together is relatability; the film deals with a variety of pervasive and very real issues such as the pressures of business and withholding secrets from others whilst also emphasising the authenticity of the character’s relationships. You can constantly and consistently relate to Locke, particularly with the conversations he has with his incompetent co-worker, strict superior and loving wife.

As you’ve probably guessed by now, Locke is a very character driven film and the performances are all heartfelt and resonant. Tom Hardy gives a fantastic performance; we see a vast array of emotions and facial expressions conveyed through his character. We see frustration, anger, sadness and ever so brief moments of happiness, which heightens the film’s relatability even further. As things become more and more desperate for Locke, he grows more and more intense with his thinking, trying to remain composed when all kinds of undesirable events are being thrown at him. Although Locke is the only character we actually see, the other cast members including Ruth Wilson, Andrew Scott and Kirsty Dillon also project emotions purely through voice. The cast ultimately makes you feel as if you know these people personally and end up holding the same opinion of them as Locke does, quite an impressive feat considering how Tom Hardy holds the spotlight for the vast majority of the film’s runtime.

Despite the use of a single location Locke contains its fair share of good presentation techniques. The different camera angles both in and out of the car provide a strong stage for Hardy to show off his character’s emotions throughout the film. There’s a constant presence of fade in and fade out shots along with lens flares to show passage of time, emphasising the scale of Locke’s trip. The night time setting placed against the low key musical score creates a slow pace and gloomy atmosphere that mirrors the events that transpire against the main protagonist. Locke’s technical presentation is just as simplistic as its plot, but the minimalistic approach works to the film’s favour, allowing the actor’s performances to make the biggest impression.

Locke is a rare thing in modern cinema; the kind of film that can take a simple concept and turn it into something truly profound. It’s more than just a unique idea; it’s one of the best films of 2014.

Rating: 5/5 Stars