Overview
A man's life unravels as he confronts his past while racing against time on a dark highway.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- tense
- melancholic
- intimate
- late night viewing
- quiet evening
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film as a daring, brilliantly executed real-time chamber drama anchored by Tom Hardy’s exceptionally controlled performance.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Ivan Locke remains inside his BMW while the entire crisis unfolds during his drive from Birmingham to London.
Ivan communicates with his wife, sons, colleagues, and boss entirely through calls, making unseen voices central dramatic presences.
The concealed pregnancy and Ivan’s past choices threaten his marriage, family responsibilities, and leadership of a major construction project.
Tom Hardy must express Ivan’s shifting control, shame, resolve, and isolation while remaining the film’s nearly constant on-screen presence.
Films like Locke, and why
Buried
single-location psychological pressure, real-time structure, and a protagonist managing escalating consequences through phone conversations
The Guilty
real-time crisis storytelling, restricted visual space, and suspense built primarily through voice calls
Nightcrawler
morally compromised protagonist, nocturnal urban atmosphere, and tense psychological drama driven by personal ambition
Movie Details
- Director
- Steven Knight
- Release Date
- 2014-04-10
- Runtime
- 85 min
- Rating
- 6.9 / 10 (3046)
Cast
- Tom Hardy
- Ruth Wilson
- Andrew Scott
- Olivia Colman
- Tom Holland
- Ben Daniels
- Bill Milner
- Alice Lowe
- Danny Webb
- Lee Ross
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, FlixFling, Spectrum On Demand
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, FlixFling
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Locke about?
- Over one tense night on the road, a construction manager tries to contain the professional and familial fallout of a life-changing secret.
- What is Locke like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Locke as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Locke violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Locke.
- What did critics think of Locke?
- Critics broadly praised the film as a daring, brilliantly executed real-time chamber drama anchored by Tom Hardy’s exceptionally controlled performance.
- Which films are like Locke?
- Films with a similar feel include Buried, The Guilty, and Nightcrawler.
- How long is Locke?
- Locke runs 85 minutes.
- Where can I watch Locke?
- In United States, Locke is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, FlixFling, Spectrum On Demand.
