About Locke

Locke is a British-American drama film written and directed by Steven Knight. The film is reckoned as a masterpiece of minimal storytelling. The plot revolves around a construction manager, Ivan Locke, whose life spirals out of control during a 90-minute car drive when he receives news that alters his meticulously crafted life plan.

Making / Production

The movie was written and directed by Steven Knight. The unique aspect of Locke's production is that it was filmed in real time, taking the cast and crew only a few nights of shooting. The entire movie is set within a car, and most of the dialogue happens over the phone, making it a distinct cinematic experience.

Actors

• Tom Hardy as Ivan Locke: Hardy delivers a compelling performance as Ivan Locke, effectively displaying his character's range of emotions as he drives and progressively loses control of the circumstances.
• Ruth Wilson as Katrina Locke: While not physically present, Wilson's voice acting significantly contributes to the tension and emotional stakes of the film as Locke's wife.
• Andrew Scott as Donal: Scott plays Donal, Ivan's comic, unreliable subordinate and primarily interacts with Ivan through phone calls.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The entire film takes place in real-time, with no time jumps or pauses.
• There are only a few characters seen on-screen, but there are numerous off-screen characters interacting with Locke over the phone.
• Rather than shooting the film in a moving vehicle, the car was surrounded by LED screens in a studio and background footage was synced up to the car scenes.

Quotes

• "You make one mistake, one little fucking mistake, and the whole world comes crashing down around you."
• "Do it for the piece of sky we are stealing with our building. You do it for the air that will be displaced, and most of all, you do it for the fucking concrete, because it is delicate."

Music, Soundtrack

• The main score for Locke was composed by Dickon Hinchliffe, and the soundtrack gives an eerie, tensed atmosphere that matches the film's tone.