Locke

An example of truly minimalist filmmaking, director Steven Knight's Locke never leaves the car that the title character (Tom Hardy) is driving from Birmingham to London. But even though the film is confined—even claustrophobic—it is not visually dull, featuring cunningly varying shots to show the character from different angles so that the eye is continuously engaged. And Hardy's cool but intense performance adds to the emotional tension. Unfortunately, however, as Knight gradually explains Locke's plight, the movie essentially becomes a glorified soap opera. A contractor heading up a huge building project, Locke has abandoned the site just as concrete is about to be poured, leaving the job of supervising it to a hapless aide whom he instructs by phone even after he's been fired. Locke also converses with his wife and sons about why he's endangered his career—and marriage—by rushing to join a woman with whom he briefly worked some months back. It turns out that all of the current drama in Locke's life hinges on his determination to live up to his responsibilities as a man, a mindset driven by the fact that his father abandoned him as a child. It's a fairly thin revelation, so despite Hardy's impressive solo performance, Locke ends up being a talky trip to a sappy destination. Still, on the basis of Hardy's tour de force turn alone, this should be considered a strong optional purchase.[Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include audio commentary with director Steven Knight, an “Ordinary Unraveling” making-of featurette (10 min.), and trailers. Exclusive to the Blu-ray release is a bonus UltraViolet copy of the film. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a somewhat gimmicky film lifted by a fine central performance.] (F. Swietek)