follow his car journey from Brighton to Croydon as the world around him slowly crumbles and he loses it all.British Screenwriter and Director Steven Knight, brings us yet another gripping British drama, after previously making Hummingbird starring Jason Statham earlier this year. Clocking in at just under 90 minutes, Locke is refreshingly short and never over stays its welcome. The narrative is actually so constant that even when Hardy is not in hands- free phone switchboard mode, we capture another underlying story. Locke provides just as much a character journey as it does a car journey.During the recent UK Premiere, producer Paul Webster recalls his initial talks with Steven Knight, in which he said; 'I want to do something quite different, in a confined space, about a guy whose life changes during the course of one car journey. And we never leave the car.' And that is literally what happens. Bringing an ideal mix of humour and emotion to the project, Hardy's taunt performance is mesmerizing. The put-on Welsh accent is pretty decent also. Filmed in just eight nights and with very low budget, the film is literally a lesson of how unique and quite fantastic minimalist cinema can be.

acts unfairly, how to be fearlessly honest.And yet he is not some miracle. He gets extremely frustrated an angry, but he can allow it to happen without picking on someone else.What a movie!!

drives through the night. What this film does, which not many films do anymore, it relies solely on Hardy's brawny shoulders. With very little in terms of a pay off regarding plot, Hardy's tour de force performance engrosses you with every minute that goes by. There was not one moment I can think of where I was looking at my watch or was at all bored with it. To think that an entire film taking place in a singular location, let alone it being entirely in a car, would be heart pounding even had me a little skeptical. Fear not, Locke will have you gripping the handles of your seat and will have you talking about it even after the end credits roll. Many people will most likely dislike the abrupt and ambiguous ending but at the end of the day there was no other way to end this night from hell for this man. Steven Knight writes and directs a taut, white knuckle thriller here that deserves to be seen by the masses. I still can't get over how great this film was, so much so that when it officially comes to theaters, I'll be racing back to see it again. Overall, this is minimalist filmmaking with a one two punch for a lead performance. If you're fans of Eastern Promises and Dirty Little Things, you will love Steven Knight's Locke. And even if you are not fans of those films, the film is worth seeing for Tom Hardy's performance alone. I highly recommend this film.

in his expressions. Tom Hardy owns this movie and Locke really is the perfect vehicle literally for showing off his barebones acting chops.The story itself is that Ivan Locke is a construction worker who just got off his shift and is now driving back, but then gets some calls that give us insight into what he has going on in his personal life and his work life and how Locke responds to this information as it gets progressively more stressful. It's incredible that a movie at only 82 minutes can go through such a roller-coaster of emotions, and as short as it is the movie still flies by because you're so drawn to the character. One of the voices is Locke's coworker voiced by Andrew Scott Moriarty from Sherlock and even as a voice-over his performance is totally convincing and his back-and-forth with Hardy is electric and at times humorous. His wife and other parties bring drama into the equation and as things start falling apart for Locke it dips into psychological thriller territory.Steven Knight deserves much credit as well for having written and directed the film. It's so smooth and sleek, from the highway shots to the few overhead shots of the city at night. It's beautiful and adds the ideal atmosphere for this one-man show to maneuver in. It's a wonderfully written movie, wonderfully directed, perfectly acted seriously, this is the performance of Hardy's career , with a spot- on supporting cast of voices. Locke is a mesmerizing movie from beginning to end. If you're a Tom Hardy fan or a fan of good cinema in general, you're doing yourself a disservice by not watching Locke.

work...' things about his Polish colleagues, but he should assure that they could work not only as labourers this is why I have not given it 10 stars... - for this cliché .If you are a young or mature man - watch it and you will see what a manly behavior is, if you are a woman - watch it too and then you might be able to understand man. I love the moment when he says to his heartbroken wife that, yes, he will call his building site despite his current marital crisis exploding - this is what a true man would always do, being rationally responsible for all what is his - job, family, son, newborn child was it a boy or a girl? etc. A very wise movie indeed.

and respected, just through voice draw vivid and colorful personalities. A lesson in creative movie-making.

watch the football.With a premise of just one actor in a confined location it is testament to Hardy's acting nous that he can pull off such a taught, powerful performance solely based on reactions to the increasingly dramatic phone calls. Locke is unrelenting in his belief of doing the right thing and we see why when he has imagined conversations with his father, an apparently neglectful and emotionally absent figure in his life. These scenes in particular are beautifully shot with the use of Locke looking into the car mirrors for the man who isn't there.It wastes very little of its short running time and overall is a captivating and rewarding film with a terrific central performance.

does not look to find a way around this. Not perhaps since Ryan Reynolds found himself in a tight situation in Rodrigo Cortes 2010 film Buried has a film relied so heavily on the audience to bear with it and a performer to hold our attention with nothing more than a phone or Bluetooth to act alongside with. Locke's tightly focused pacing and realistic scripting are both hugely successful but it is in the performance of Hardy that the film finds its true power and ability to stick with you days after release.Oft cast as the hulking or manic presence within a film as seen in any of Warrior, The Dark Knight Rises or Bronson, Hardy hear is a steely at times inwardly reserved Ivan Locke, a man whose world is crumbling around him despite being sheltered by his luxury ride. Playing Locke with a welsh accent and with a vulnerability within both his eye, Hardy showcases a rarely displayed side to his acting talents that Knight uncovers to great effect. Whether Locke is demanding or pleading, Hardy is in control even though his character is slowly but surely crumbling from within. It's one of the year's best acting turns, unflashy yet utterly commanding, Hardy achieves more with a singly look than some actors do within an entire role. It's worth also mentioning the voice work the only other people you will hear during the entire movie, no one else is ever seen of the cast here in Locke, from Olivia Colman through to The Impossible's Tom Holland as Locke's son Eddie, all voice performers give soul to the voices we hear on the phone.A movie to be watched in the tightest surrounds available to you, Locke isn't an easy watch due to its setting and not a movie made for overall public consumption. Locke is however an incredibly smart and well-constructed film that is the perfect showcase for the increasing acting prowess of Tom Hardy, an actor that continues to stake a claim as one of if not the most interesting and diverse performers in the business today.4 Bluetooth calls out of 5 For more movie reviews and opinions check into - www.jordanandeddie.wordpress.com