Tom Hardy Gives His Most Understated Performance in this Tense, Complex Psychological Drama

Tom Hardy is known for not holding back in his performances. From Venom to Taboo and everything in between, he’s always recognized how to make an impact by going big. The film Locke shows a rarely seen side to Hardy’s acting talent, in a more subdued and measured role. As the sole actor on-screen, Hardy spends the entire film driving a car from Birmingham to London, interacting with people only on the phone. Less is more with this performance—between Hardy’s calming voice and intense searching gaze, he builds a full portrait of this character and the existential crisis he is facing. The drama is small and personal, but the stakes are heightened by how much Hardy’s performance draws in the audience.

‘Locke’ Focuses Solely on Tom Hardy

In Locke, Tom Hardy takes everyman Ivan Locke and transforms him into an exceptional character study. The various dramas he deals with over the phone range from a huge concrete-pouring construction job he needs to manage to his regrettable one-night stand who’s about to give birth in the hospital. This is all while he juggles a wife and kids at home.

Ivan’s a control freak losing control over his life in real time, with his job, family, and sanity all on the line. The sheer panic he feels emanates throughout the film, building during his drive across the UK. The tension is palpable, as there is only Tom Hardy on screen the entire time, locked in the small-space setting of a car, with so much at stake personally for his character. The claustrophobia and pacing both feed into the pressure Ivan is under.

With Locke, the audience is watching the downfall of a likable ordinary man—with Hardy’s portrayal, alongside the simplified storytelling method, it makes it impossible to turn away. There is no other action in Locke except for Ivan’s phone conversations and Hardy’s performance, on which the film’s greatness depends. Even while the supporting characters can be heard over the phone, it’s only Hardy who can be seen on-screen. He carries the entire film with his presence, commanding over the film, fully in control of the character’s emotional arc.

The supporting cast on the phone includes the likes of Olivia Colman, Ruth Wilson, Andrew Scott, and Tom Holland, giving Hardy some high-caliber vocal performances to play off of. Through the nuanced tone of the conversations and how they change between characters, everything the audience needs to know about their relationship with Ivan can be deduced. Even more can be told about Ivan, as he doesn’t react to other people’s emotions, remaining in control of his own. He repeatedly comes back with a practical response, repressing the psychological impact of the situation at hand.

Tom Hardy Heightens the Tension by Using Restraint in His Performance

Ivan is an ordinary man with ordinary difficulties, as stubborn as he is well-intentioned. As he speaks on the phone or has imaginary conversations with his deceased father, he rarely speaks his true feelings. He’s intent on doing the objectively right thing, even when that “right thing” hurts himself or the people he loves. Ivan is clearly a guy who isn’t used to expressing his emotions, but whatever he’s calmly saying on the phone, his face can’t mask his feelings. Hardy’s eyes show the truth of his character, as they search, yearn, and sadden—this is where the emotion lies with his performance as Ivan Locke. The focus of the film never shifts from Hardy; the camera often closes in on him, as his facial expressions and demeanor speak louder than his words.

While his face is doing a lot of the work, the dialogue and Hardy’s delivery help to keep Ivan’s emoting in check. Hardy puts on a very convincing and appeasing Welsh accent as Ivan, a choice that helps in grounding his character. It keeps his speaking voice level and steady, giving a soothing rhythm to it as the words roll off his tongue. He sounds controlled and calm, while his face is telling a different story. The dichotomy in this delivery tells you everything you need to know about this character.

Ultimately, Locke is a film about a man losing control, yet Tom Hardy shows so much of it in his performance as the titular character. He turns something as mundane as pouring concrete into a nail-biting, edge-of-your-seat thriller. It’s a masterclass in restraint, and Hardy turns this small, considered film into a must-watch one-man show.

Locke is available to stream on Prime Video in the U.S.

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