Locke

Merry Christmas everybody!  So since it's that time of year already, I'm going to be listing my Top 12 Films of 2014 over the next two weeks.  So I'm going to start with my Number 12...

#12 - Locke

It's fair to say that Tom Hardy has built a career on being a bit of a tough guy.  His impressive physique has enhanced his imposing presence in films such as Bronson, Warrior and The Dark Knight Rises.  These roles helped him make a definite impact on the Hollywood scene, and allowed him to branch out into smaller, more dramatic roles such as the recent crime drama The Drop, last year's Lawless and my 12th favourite film this year, Locke.

In Locke, Tom Hardy plays the titular Ivan Locke, as he travels from Cardiff to London for the imminent birth of his child.  Unfortunately the child is being born the day before the completion of his life's work, and to a woman who is not his wife.  On the way to London, he has to quit his job, confess to his wife of his infidelity and contend with his inner-comparison to his own negligent father.

All the action takes place within Locke's car, with all the communication coming via telephone calls on loudspeaker as he contends with his angry boss, his distraught wife and confused sons, as well as the soon-to-be mother of his child.  Whilst the drama never leaves the interior of Locke's car, there is widespread devastation caused by Locke's one mistake.  As emotions run high, they are always dealt with by Hardy's calm and soothing Welsh outlook, unrelenting in his commitment to making the right choice, even if his life crumbles around him

It's no secret that I'm a huge fan of small films such as Locke. My favourite kind of films usually feature a limited amount of cast, are fairly dialogue-centric and take place in as few locations as possible.  Fantastic classics such as Rear Window and 12 Angry Men, through to modern thrillers such as Hard Candy and Right At Your Door have hinged on these restrictions and they have been intense, mesmerising films as a result.  I'd say that you can easily add Locke to that list.

The script manages to unfold the drama slowly, rather than blurt out the central reason for Locke's -long-distance drive, providing intrigue and mystery into why the incredibly relateable Tom Hardy is throwing his life away.  When you learn his goal and his reason behind it, you gain a respect for the character, understanding his commitment and drive, despite his indiscretion.  The direction and cinematography are also beautiful, with the constant reminders of Locke's motorway surroundings shadowing his own emotional journey and the different paths he chooses to take.  The music is powerful when it needs to be, but subtle enough to let the performances speak for themselves.

Despite very impressive vocal performances from Olivia Colman, Andrew Scott and Ruth Wilson, Locke is completely Tom Hardy's film.  I'm sure most actors and actresses would kill for a role like this.  Similar to Ryan Reynolds in Buried and James Franco in 127 Hours, the camera is always focussed on Tom Hardy and he owns the role, giving a beautifully subdued and subtle performance, compared to his energetic Charles Bronson or his camp Bane.  Hopefully he'll be able to flex his dramatic muscle more often in the future, alongside the upcoming Mad Max next year and Suicide Squad in 2016!  If so, the road ahead is definitely bright for this man.

Next comes my Two For Tuesday article about my 11th and 10th favourite films of 2014!  Be sure to check it out!

Until next time folks, thanks for reading!

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