‘Locke’, a new film from writer and director Steven Knight, who previously authored the script for ‘Dirty Pretty Things’.
It’s a ‘real time’ film, following a set of rules, all the action takes place in one location, it all happens in real time with no flash forwards, flashbacks and no dream sequences.
The challenges of these constraints often lead to more interesting films. Previous ‘real time’ film include the Danish film ‘Ambulancen’, which opened the Revelation Film Festival a few years ago, locally made ‘Last Train to Fremantle’ and Ethan Hawke’s ‘Tape’.
Knight cleverly sets his film in a car, we meet married father with two kids Ivan Locke. His wife and kids are expecting him to arrive home from work to watch a football match, but Ivan’s not coming home tonight. Instead he’s leaving Manchester and driving down the freeway to London. He’s putting aside his family’s expectations and his work responsibilities and heading off to take care of something else.
Tom Hardy gives a stellar performance as Ivan Locke, he’s the only character we see as he drives along the freeway. He’s not alone though, another eleven characters fill the story, each calling Locke during his journey, their characters coming to life via their voices over his blue-tooth phone connection.
As Locke speeds away to London to solve one problem in his life, he struggles to hold together his personal and professional commitments, with each incoming phone call his dilemma gets a little bit more complicated. While we all juggle many responsibilities in life, here’s a guy doing in in hyper-drive. With each step in his journey Locke’s life unravels a little more.
It would be so easy for a film about a guy in a car to be boring, but this film is gripping. The combination of Knight’s script and direction, Hardy’s performance and some brilliant creativity from cinematograher Haris Zambarloukos, make this a film that is very different, but very accessible.
‘Locke’ is playing at the Revelation Perth International Film Festival on July 4th, 5th, 6th, and 8th and screens with the short film ‘Carcass’. Find out more at www.revelationfilmfest.org
Graeme Watson
