91% on Rotten Tomatoes for this "exceptional" film.
In acting terms, if you're going to have a camera pointed at your face - and only your face - for the best part of 90 minutes, you better have the talent to keep audiences entertained.
Much like Colin Farrell in Phone Booth and Ryan Reynolds in Buried, Tom Hardy is more than capable of delivering a one-man tour de force.
Since his breakthrough role in Layer Cake, the talented actor has consistently delivered fantastic performances while also showing that he's more than willing to go to extreme lengths for his craft.
Bronson, The Dark Knight Rises, Warrior, and Legend have all been roles that have required some sort of physical challenge, but as we've frequently seen, he's also an actor that's capable of portraying so much character and depth through his expressions alone.
In Dunkirk, Mad Max: Fury Road and even The Revenant, Hardy had the majority of his face covered but it didn't make a single bit of difference. As Christopher Nolan said: "Of course Tom, being Tom, what he does with single eye acting is far beyond what anyone else can do with their whole body. That is just the unique talent of the man, he's extraordinary."
Well, if you're a Tom Hardy, you'll be very pleased to know that one of his best ever performances will be shown on TV tonight.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsBDYAYnQb0
In
Locke, the talented actor stars as Ivan Locke, a dedicated family man, and successful construction manager. During a fateful drive from Birmingham to London,
he receives a phone call on the eve of the biggest challenge of his career that sets in motion a series of events that threatens his carefully cultivated existence.
What do you think happens when a man feels that his family, job, and soul is about to unravel before his eyes?
What's remarkable about Locke is that it takes place over the course of one absolutely riveting car ride. While Hardy rightfully gets all the acting plaudits, it's also worth noting the superb vocal contributions from
Olivia Colman, Ruth Wilson, and Andrew Scott.
If you've already seen the film and were wondering why it looked so stylish, you won't be surprised to learn that Locke was directed by Steven Knight - he's the man that created of Peaky Blinders and Taboo.
With a rating of 81% on Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic, Locke is unmissable for any fans of Tom Hardy.
Plenty of critics agree:
Variety: "An exceptional one-man show for Tom Hardy, this ingeniously executed study in cinematic minimalism has depth, beauty and poise."
Rolling Stone: "Locke is a powerhouse of claustrophobic suspense and fierce emotion, mostly because Tom Hardy, best known as Bane in The Dark Knight Rises, is a blazing wonder as Locke."
New Yorker: "The movie's greatest asset by far is Hardy, whose rich, unflappable tones, even in times of high emotional pressure, bear a distinct echo of Richard Burton."
Express: "Locke is an ingenious British film that spends ninety minutes in a car with Tom Hardy and keeps you gripped throughout."
Telegraph: "There are no car chases and no car crashes, and no-one else appears on screen. Around half of the dialogue is about concrete. It's one of the most nail-biting thrillers of the year."
Don't miss it. Film 4 at 00:40
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