This was probably one of the most different and unique movies I’ve seen in some time.  I like things that break the mold of the same ol’ same ol’…and this movie does that.  First off, Tom Hardy..yea,  not cast in his usual type role. I mean besides a few roles here and there..I’m used to seeing him at least shirtless once during a movie!! 😀  And I don’t mind that in the slightest..he’s usually quite fun & sexy in his roles.  This however is again different as he basically carries the whole movie by himself driving in a car speaking while with numerous different people on the phone.trying to solve the craptasticness of what’s just been thrown at him & he knows will ruin his life. Somehow it sucks you in though and you can’t believe your ears on what is going on in this man’s life during these 2 hrs.

So Ivan Locke (Tom Hardy) again in one of his least sexy roles ever (especially with this full beard) but for me at least, of the roles I’ve seen him in, maybe his darkest and definitely one of his best.. Synopsis of the story is:  Ivan Locke is a man who has just gotten a phone call from a woman, Bethan (Voiceover by Olivia Coleman) who let’s him know that the one time they had sex while he was on a construction job, she got preggers and because she is an older woman, she felt this was her last chance at what she deems ‘happiness’ (others consider it differently 🙂  And guess what..she is delivering that baby tonight.. He makes the decision to go be with her for said delivery as his father was not there for him. Whilst he decides this, he is also set, per his job, to be a part of, the largest building cement pour to ever happen in the UK for a skyscraper that is to be built and in doing so will lose his job and of course his family.  He actually calls his wife and tells her of the affair over the phone, all the while his construction crew is calling him, his company and most of all, Bethan, her doctors & the hospital as she is experiencing complications.

Again what takes place during all these non-stop continuous calls and how Ivan Locke deals with it is what this story is really all about.  Remember “Phone Booth” with Colin Farrell..yeah that’s the closest somewhat of a comparison I can give and it’s like a way updated version of that, done in a car the whole time and the only character we ever see is Ivan Locke aka Tom Hardy in a performance that I just never got bored with.  Was it an odd movie, oh yeah, you bet it was..but again, I kinda like odd & different sometimes which is why I love Indie movies.  Be prepared as I don’t think it’s for everyone nor will everyone like it.  I did though.  Tom Hardy deserves at least a Oscar nod for this performance if not a win. 

Grade: B-