Locke

An intriguing yet not-altogether-successful experiment, Locke follows Tom Hardy’s Ivan Locke as he embarks on a lengthy car ride during an exceedingly tumultuous period in both his personal and professional lives. Writer and director Steven Knight offers up a claustrophobic drama that transpires almost entirely within the confines of Locke’s SUV, which does ensure that the film, at the outset, comes off as a strange and downright baffling experience devoid of context – as the protagonist takes a series of phone calls that prove entirely underwhelming (and a little confusing). As time progresses, however, it does become more and more clear just what Hardy’s character is attempting to accomplish, with the movie’s transition from head-scratching to compelling triggered by an impressively engrossing phone call between Ivan and his wife (Ruth Wilson’s Katrina). From there, Locke settles into a rhythm of passable entertainment that’s buoyed primarily by Hardy’s consistently (and expectedly) enthralling turn as the title figure – as the actor delivers an electrifying performance that ensures the movie, at the very least, remains watchable even through it’s less-than-captivating stretches. This is especially true of the continuing emphasis on the central character’s work-related problems, as Knight does, from time to time, paint a far too specific portrait of the minutia of Locke’s high-pressure job. The lack of emotional resonance ultimately confirms Locke‘s place as an awfully minor endeavor, with the Hardy’s persistently top-notch work here ensuring that the actor’s-showcase vibe is, generally speaking, less problematic than one might’ve anticipated.

**1/2 out of ****

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