Locke (2013)

Directed by Steven Knight; produced by Paul Webster, Guy Heeley

Ivan Locke (Tom Hardy) is driving from Birmingham to London, abandoning the preparations he is meant to oversee for the biggest non-military, non-nuclear concrete pour in European history, so that he can be present at the birth of his child. The child’s mother, however, Bethan, is not Locke’s wife, but a relative stranger with whom Locke had a one-night stand. Nonetheless, Locke is determined not to desert the child, as his hated late father did to him. Though it may cost him his job, his marriage and everything he values, he wants to do the right thing by his new child.

An intriguing and risky premise that pays off due in large part to the bravura performance of Hardy, Locke is filmed almost entirely in the character’s car. Except for a few faceless extras at the beginning, he is the only person shown through the movie’s 85 minutes, the other characters being those on the other end of some of the three dozen telephone calls of which Locke is a part. The rest of the credit goes to the writer/director.

One would not think that much drama could come from telephone discussions but, when one thinks of it, most drama in life appears to stem from what people say, or don’t say. There are no explosions, shoot-outs, or car chases in most people’s lives, yet they are often filled with drama, nonetheless, whether they want it or not. This is the sort of tension that is created in Locke.

Suspense is made by the unfolding situations, and by Locke’s reactions to them. He is both cause and effect. More than a construction foreman, his passion is concrete, and such is his dedication to his job that he continues to supervise the preparations for the pour remotely, arguing with and cajoling his deputy - who is clearly out of his depth - into doing what is necessary, even though he, Locke, has already been fired by his boss, with whom he also maintains reluctant contact through the drive. In the meantime, he has to tell his wife, Katrina, why he is not coming home to watch a football game with his two sons. Lastly, and most importantly, he is in continual touch with Bethan, the woman who is having his child.

There is also great interest created by Hardy’s interpretation of Locke. Nothing is explained all at once. We find out about Locke as the evening progresses. He turns out to be a dedicated man, dedicated to everything in his life, yet willing to sacrifice much so that he will not repeat the mistakes of his father - whom he imagines in the car with him from time to time. Several characters tell Locke that he is not himself, that he’s behaving strangely; yet we begin to see that he is, in fact, behaving perfectly in character; he’s just not had such a demand made on him before. He is also an uncompromising man in some ways, yet also sensitive, someone who knows the tragedy of what he is doing.

There are some aspects that viewers may find a bit contrived. For instance, would a man confess to infidelity to his wife over the telephone? Yet, because of who and what we find Locke to be, we can believe it of him, such is his need to be truthful on this night. Another example of the latter is his insistence while talking to Bethan’s doctor that he, Locke, is the father of the baby, and not Bethan’s partner. And it must be remembered that all events are happening because of what Locke has done, so, though some elements may be contrived, they were deliberately set in motion by the character himself.

The contributions of the voice-actors (most of whom are ‘face-actors’ in their careers) should not be under-estimated. They include Ruth Wilson, Olivia Colman and Tom Holland, and have a difficult job, as all of their actions, reactions and emotions are related by sound. Hardy is aided by his expressions, both facial and bodily.

For the viewer who finds his drama in the human condition, Locke is a rewarding hour and a half, and a film - unlike most - that benefits greatly from being seen on the small screen.