If you just want to see one movie that demonstrates what a powerhouse Tom Hardy is as an actor then see Locke. Forget the Revenant which in he was nominated, or Mad Max, Locke is the go-to Hardy movie with respect to his acting. Why? The whole movie is set with him talking in a car. Sounds exciting huh? Hardy turns us voyeurs into emotional wrecks in no time by just watching him talk to his wife in a car. He’s the only character seen on screen, but you can’t help but be engrossed.
According to wiki Locke received critical acclaim, particularly for Hardy’s performance. It’s one of those movies where you wonder if it’s best to reveal or hide the plot. Locke is better when one goes into it without any preconceived ideas of what will take place, but what the hell – If you want just a smidgeon of an idea how seeing an entire movie a man talking in his car might actually be so entertaining, then read the following:
The evening before he must supervise a large concrete pour in Birmingham (the largest non-nuclear facility, non-military concrete pour in European history), construction foreman Ivan Locke learns that Bethan, a colleague from a job in Croydon with whom he had a one-night stand seven months before (which resulted in her becoming pregnant), has gone into premature labour. Despite his job responsibilities and although his wife and sons are eagerly awaiting his arrival home to watch an important football match, Locke decides……
The plot is best allowed to unfold at its own pace. Knight’s screenplay is tight, meticulous, and infused with low-key wit. Shooting took place over eight nights, with the crew only taking breaks to change the three cameras’ memory cards. The others heard on the vehicle’s speakerphone were recorded in real time (Locke’s vehicle and road noise included).
The weird thing is about this one scene scenario is you don’t even notice it after a while. Everything flows so smoothly and Tom Hardy’s performance completely captures everything you’d expect from this character as he’s experiencing these dilemmas – you believe every word out of his mouth and every subtle nuance in his expressions. Tom Hardy owns this movie and Locke really is the perfect vehicle (literally) for showing off his barebones acting chops.
“The more I live, the more I learn. The more I learn, the more I realize, the less I know.”- Michel Legrand
Observation Blogger 
Cinematic minimalism at its best. I’d rather watch one actor emotionally stripped down in a captivating and sometimes thrilling movie like this than all the CGI-saturated banalities out there. I loved this movie!
Thanks Reely for commenting. I couldn’t agree more. I think that’s why De Caprio in the Revenant was so successful. Just let them do their stuff lol
Love it! Great comparison! Did you ever see The Lighthouse? Super weird but just two actors on an island, and the audience gets mad with them!
I did see it. I thought it was good for a large part. With respect to the plot and actions I didn’t gel entirely. But the mood of the movie was something different
How about 127 Hours? Another solo survival movie…