Locke is celebrating its 10-year anniversary this year. It’s one of A24’s most underrated movies and features a Tom Hardy that should have been in the Oscar conversation more in 2014. It’s a film that deeply resonated with me at the time, and arguably holds even more power today. There’s something about its simplicity that allows for its writing and central performance to keenly emulate an ideal that almost feels superhero-esque in the modern landscape.
In a world that is deeply divided, Ivan Locke feels like an alien. He’s the poster child of a bygone era, especially in the film world. We so often encounter despicable characters doing despicable things because their outlandishness is cinematic. Looking at you Jordan Belfort. If not despicable, characters that have prickly qualities or a brazen personality. And look, I get it. Who wants to see the simple man who calmly lives his life and seemingly has it put together? Well, not many. Unless you’re Wim Wenders (Perfect Days is a masterpiece).
Of course, Ivan doesn’t have it all put together. He isn’t despicable. He’s a far cry from the Jordan Belfort’s of the world. He doesn’t have prickly qualities. No brazen personality. There really isn’t much to him that screams cinematic. He’s a concrete foreman who is highly respected by everyone around him. He’s married with two kids. Everyone seems to be fond of Ivan. On its face, he’s a normal guy with a normal life and a good job. So why are we trapped in this car with him?
Film doesn’t have to be a barometer of morals and ethics. It’s not there to reflect your politics and fundamental ethos. It’s why characters like Belfort, Henry Hill, Michael Corleone, Amy Dunne and (literally) countless others are still heralded as incredible figures of cinema. We don’t agree with their choices. Our moral compass isn’t aligned. Art doesn’t pander to righteousness. At least, not all of the time. The best characters are infused with great complexity that sways our allegiances with them. But that’s exactly why Ivan Locke stands out.
Instead of lingering in the gray areas, Ivan is an affable person that you probably would love and respect, which is why Hardy’s performance is crucial in the film. He needs to give that credence, and he does so with incredible rigor. Because there comes a point when we learn that Ivan’s life is at a crossroads. On one hand, it’s vividly clear that he loves his family. The conversations he has with his sons are very endearing. But on the other hand, he’s made a mistake. A mistake that many would likely try to run from. An idea that looms heavily given that he’s in the car and driving away as if he’s avoiding something.
However, it becomes clear that Ivan isn’t running away. He’s not hiding or avoiding consequence. In fact, it’s the opposite. He’s running toward the problem. He’s embracing the ramifications of his choices. There are several, rather potent, soliloquies throughout the film where we learn that Ivan’s childhood wasn’t ideal. His father had abandoned him. Something that clearly shaped his paternal foundations. We see in the car that it still affects him, but for Ivan, his father’s choices are not going to define him as a father, himself. He made a massive error in judgment that put him in this position, but he’s not going to make the same mistake as his father. He is completely and thoroughly owning his mistake. Imagine watching Jordan Belfort or Henry Hill just turn themselves in to the authorities. Bonnie and Clyde taking a detour to the police station and admitting they messed up. Yeah, that just doesn’t happen. In cinema or in real life. But that’s exactly what Ivan does.
It sounds simple. It doesn’t make for the most captivating drama. Yet, there’s something about Ivan risking his job and family to do the right thing, all while helping his co-workers complete a pivotal job (despite being ultimately fired), that feels like an aberration outside of superhero movies. It’s just a movie about a man owning up to his (admittedly significant) mistake. And there are consequences. The moments when he tells his family the truth hit with like a sledgehammer. They’re very moving. And look, don’t get me wrong, I’m all for seeing Jake Gyllenhaal rob a bank and steal an ambulance as he runs from cops across LA. It’s just rare; very, very rare, to see the other side of that coin. And personally, I find that extremely refreshing.
10 years later and Locke still carries a potency that I deeply love. It’s one of Hardy’s best to date. It might not have the intense drama of a Martin Scorsese or Steven Spielberg film, but it has the same level of conviction. That, to me, goes a very long way.
