Directed by Steven Knight

Released April 25, 2014

Starring Tom Hardy

Runtime: 1 hour, 25 minutes

12 Angry Men (1957), Rear Window (1954), 127 Hours (2010) and Buried (2010) all share on great quality among them. They’re all set in one location for the duration of the film. It’s a screenwriting feat. How do you write a compelling story without changing the location around the character? It’s not an easy feat, but the aforementioned films above do it with a great plot, memorable characters and performances, great cinematography, and a thrilling ending.

Locke, directed by Steven Knight, is one of the latest films to attempt and adapt this formula. Let’s run down the plot of the films above before I get to Locke.

12 Angry Men — set inside a single room, 12 jurors must decide on the trial of an 18 year old Hispanic boy who is accused of stabbing his father to death. The jurors discuss the guilt or acquittal based on the basis of a reasonable doubt. The film is classic that has been classified as a great thinking man’s film. A film, that in my opinion, is essential viewing for everyone at some point in their life.

Rear Window — A man who has a broken leg is bound to his apartment. As he gazes out his back window, he begins to watch the people in the neighborhood before uncovering a possible murder—but find’s himself immobile and unable to intervene.

127 Hours/Buried—I’m combining the synopsis of these two films because they’re are similar. The main protagonists are trapped with nobody to aid them. While the outcomes are different, they both offer insights on the id in the foresight of death that stands before them. When death is about to greet you and you look at your life—what have you stood for?

So what about Locke? The film follows Ivan Locke (Tom Hardy) as he drives from Birmingham to a hospital in London. Taking place entirely in his car, Ivan is a construction foreman who leaves the construction site before the biggest commercial concrete pour in European history. Why? Because he cheated on his wife 9 months prior after a big project was completed. The women whom he cheated with is now pregnant with his child. The duration of the movie consists of phone calls to his co-workers to ensure the concrete pour goes smoothly and calling his wife to discuss his infidelity.

Yes, you read that correctly. About 40 minutes of the film discusses the mixing of concrete while the other half follows the absolute destruction of his life back home.

If somebody described the basic plot behind 12 Angry Men, Rear Window, 127 Hours, or Buried, I would watch them. I would absolutely not watch Locke. What makes this even more puzzling to me is the near critical acclaim that this film has received.

Every year there seems to be a critically acclaimed film that I absolutely don’t get the appeal for. Last year it was Jeff Nichols’ Mud, and while Locke hasn’t received the attention that Mud has, I’m still quite puzzled. Some of the words I’ve heard this film described are “gripping” “thrilling” and “one of the nail biting films of the year”.

I’m sorry, but I don’t find anything about multiple calls around the mixing of concrete “nail biting”, and I don’t think many other people will either.

Am I completely missing something here? Am I going to post this review only to find out that the film was one gigantic metaphor for the colonial policies of 19th century Europe on Africa—and it then suddenly clicks? While I concede that the film doesn’t have that meaning hidden in there, I’m willing to revisit the film in 20 years. But even at this point it’s easy to see the film deal with the struggle of a identity within himself. The expectation of him by society and his inner struggle for freedom. It’s just not that compelling.

But I can’t absolutely recommend this film and describe the plot with a straight face while telling them they’ll be on the edge of their seat. Truly one of the more bizarre instances where I don’t feel like I’m on the same page of the general film community.

Are there redeeming qualities to the film? Sure. Tom Hardy gives a great performance and the cinematography is quite creative. It makes good use of the light in the streets the give an unstable atmosphere. Lights move in and out of focus to coincide with the crumbling state of Ivan’s mind.

It’s hard for me to suggest this film to anyone. So here’s what I suggest you do instead: get in your car and drive on the highway for 2 hours. Call your significant other and tell them you’ve been secretly watching new episodes of your new favorite TV series without them. Then hang up and call your co-workers about that big project you’ve been working on.

You’ve just experienced Locke. Except your relationship isn’t completely ruined and you’ve managed to get work done in the meantime.

1.5/5