Today’s quick review: Locke. Ivan Locke (Tom Hardy), a construction foreman, makes an evening drive to London for the birth of his illegitimate child. As he drives, he makes a series of phone calls to hold together the pieces of his life: comforting the mother of the child (Olivia Colman), managing a crucial stage of construction remotely through his subordinate (Andrew Scott), and confessing his infidelity to his wife (Ruth Wilson).
Locke is a minimalistic drama about an honest man trying to make amends for a costly mistake. Tom Hardy stars as Ivan Locke, whose one instance of infidelity comes back to bite him at the worst possible time for his marriage and his career. Determined to be there for the birth of his child, Ivan puts everything on the line to live up to his obligations. Hardy’s organic dialogue and earnest performance is the chief draw of the movie.
Locke gambles with an unusual setup and gets mixed results. The entire movie takes place in Ivan’s car as he juggles between phone calls on his way to London. On the one hand, this lets the movie focus on its strengths: Hardy’s acting, the sympathetic character of Ivan, and the gradual unraveling of his life. On the other hand, it makes Locke visually repetitive and utterly mundane, something closer to an audio play than a traditional movie.
Locke is a movie with niche appeal. Its believability sets it apart from other movies with broader ambitions, while its personal stakes and quiet atmosphere let it focus solely on Ivan and his troubles. However, although Locke realizes its vision, the risks it takes are enough to severely limit its audience. Most viewers will find either its story or its setting too limited to get into, making it a pick for a very particular type of drama fan.
For a more conventional crime thriller that also takes place inside a single car, try Wheelman.
7.1 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.5 for mundane but effective drama with a minimalistic style.