Review of Locke (2014) by Luke L — 14 Dec 2016

Quite intriguing, these very, very different reviews! I found the movie absolutely rivetting; yet I can readily see the point of those who called it utterly boring. I wonder what the difference is between them and me.

For any dramatic movie a precondition to appreciate it is to be willing to step into the shoes of, at least, the main character - and in this case these shoes are mighty uncomfortable. For me, it was even scary. But the value of the movie was precisely in the confrontation with that scare: how easy it is for my comfortable and happy life to completely fall apart - and how would I survive?

The great thing about this movie is that the human drama of Ivan Locke does not involve dramatic events. No war-time atrocities, no children dying, not even one criminal pointing a gun. That is what makes this picture of a life falling apart so scary.

Or is it indeed a 'life falling apart'? The ending isn't hopeless - not at all. At one point I found myself wondering how the scriptwriter could possibly provide a fitting end to this movie and dreading some unexpected turn of events, but instead the ending is absolutely great in its modesty and subtlety and realism. It is, therefore, even more scary as it keeps me thinking 'yes, this could happen to me'.