Movie Review: Locke

Have you ever watched a movie in which there is only one central character on the screen? If you rewind back a couple of years, Ryan Reynolds did an entire movie buried in a coffin. How do a director and scriptwriter keeps us engaged in such claustrophobic environment? Locke is such a movie. Written and directed by Steven Knight, Locke unfurls inside a BMW X5. The lead character, Locke played by Tom Hardy, is driving from Birmingham to London. Although the movie is not happening in real-time, we get to see only Tom Hardy and hear the voices of many actors.

Locke is at crossroads. He is overseeing one of the biggest concrete pours in Europe and tomorrow is the big day where nothing can go wrong. But tonight is also important as he wants to do the right thing. Torn between the duty, righteousness and obligation, the ride from Birmingham to London is not an easy one. He is constantly on the phone with his boss, his subordinate, his wife, his kids and the person whom he is going to visit in London. None of them are making this journey an easy one for him. Despite setbacks, threats, and emotional breakdowns, Locke is determined.

The mental turmoil of Locke is safe in the hands of Tom Hardy. We see a Tom Hardy not bulked up or not wearing up mask. He shows us he can act very well. The actors, providing the voices, keeps us engaged when the drama unfolds. Andrew Scott, soon to be featured in the latest James Bond and who is the modern age Moriarty for Cumberbatch's Sherlock, shows he doesn't need camera to act. We do not see him in the movie. We only hear him. He makes sure we will not forget him.

Locke is not a movie that has to be reserved for the big screen. You may watch in the confines of your home, may be alone. But it is worth a watch if you love serious movies.

You will find more information on this movie here.

Language: English

Genre: Drama

Rating: ****

Tags: Movies,Tom Hardy,Andrew Scott,Drama