TRUEFILM Magazine Issue 1, May 2014 | Page 22

Film Reviews
Photo: © Lionsgate

LOCKE

DIRECTOR Steven Knight
CAST Tom Hardy, Ruth Wilson, Olivia Colman,
Tom Holland, Andrew Scott

The thought of being in a car with Tom Hardy for
85 minutes is the dream for many women. Well…
in some ways this is exactly what you are doing.
Locke generates an image of a thriller, but the
dropping of a folder is all you get in terms of action.
Construction worker, Ivan Locke, is a valued
worker and a much loved family man. All that
changes when he leaves his building site on the eve
of a huge project, gets in his car, and drives through
the night, during which time his career and family
slowly slip away from him through a series of
anxious phone calls.
And that basically sums up the movie from writer/
director Steven Knight. After his rather awful first
film, Hummingbird, Locke shows that Knight has
nothing to hide behind. Not leaving the car or
Hardy’s face for 85 minutes is a challenge in itself,
but Knight pulls this off by setting the film in
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the late hours of the night. The reflections of the
bright city lights and passing cars play across the
screen, making Ivan seem more alone. The depth of
Knight’s script is first class; its hard-hitting subject
helps the film along and keeps you interested.
The only on screen cast member we see is Hardy,
but the strength of his performance is perhaps his
best yet. Now Hardy is one of the bigger Hollywood
stars, we forget how strong he can be as an actor.
With a convincing Welsh accent, Hardy fills the
role and screen with great ease. In some scenes
his emotions explode, but otherwise he stays
rather calm – which draws you in even more – as
he knows there is no happiness at the end of his
journey.
After 85 minutes you’ll have witnessed one man’s
world turn upside down. He’s both the hero and the
villain of his own story.