For well over a decade, Tom Hardy has dazzled movie fans with his ability to tackle a wide range of roles. While Hardy is more often celebrated for his performances in larger productions, some of his best work is found in his indie films.
Over the course of his career, Hardy has found himself collaborating with a number of big stars. In 2015, he starred in The Revenant alongside Leonardo DiCaprio, which earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Hardy is also a frequent star in Christopher Nolan productions including Inception, The Dark Knight Rises, and Dunkirk.
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Recently, Hardy has found success in his portrayal of Max Rockatansky in Mad Max: Fury Road and Eddie Brock in Venom. While all of these movies shine in their own regards, Hardy has appeared in plenty of smaller films that still manage to highlight his immense acting talent.
One of Hardy's more skilled performances is in Legend. In Legend, Hardy portrays both Reggie and Ron Kray, a pair of real-life twins that brought havoc to London in the 1950s and 60s. While Hardy is certainly not the first actor to star as two characters in a film (think Lindsay Lohan in The Parent Trap or Jake Gyllenhaal's Enemy), the distinct personality differences of each Kray is what makes it so incredible.
Legend itself may not have impressed those who hoped to see more about the real story of the English gangsters, but it's a unanimous agreement that Hardy shines. Then someone plays two roles in the same film, it simply sounds impressive, but until one sees Hardy plays twins who are polar opposites, it's hard to believe it can be done well.
Reggie, who is seen to be extremely aggressive and violent, differs from his brother Ron who was previously institutionalized for paranoid schizophrenia. Right off the bat, these two demonstrate that while they are both involved in a life of crime, they are completely different individuals in how they handle and view things. Hardy's ability to portray both of them, especially while interacting with one another, truly attests to how talented he is. As impressive as both of Hardy's performances in Legend are, there is another role of this that is even more noteworthy.
Like Christopher Nolan, Steven Knight has worked with Hardy on a number of other projects. The two worked closely on Taboo, which featured Hardy as the lead in 2017, and Peaky Blinders, where Hardy has been a recurring character since 2014.
In 2013, Hardy collaborated with Steven Knight on Locke. Locke differs from the stereotypical set-up of a film in many ways. The setting of the film never changes throughout the near hour and a half runtime. The only breaks from the car setting are the few glances at the road or passing buildings that Knight cuts to. Because there is only one setting, there is only one character that physically appears on the screen. Its atypical nature, in addition to Hardy's performance, is what helps make Locke so incredible.
At first, a film that centers around a man driving though the night doesn't sound very entertaining. But, as the film continues and more details are revealed, the circumstances of why Ivan Locke (Hardy) is in the vehicle make the film much more thrilling than it originally sounds.
As the only character on camera, it may seem like a given that Hardy will shine. A lack of action or interaction with others can make a performance much more difficult and engaging. Despite that, it's impossible to not be intrigued in Ivan's journey that takes countless turns for the worst. The only interactions Ivan has is through a series of phone calls. He receives them from his family, disgruntled employees and business partners, and hospital workers. Ivan receives a whirlwind of news from everyone who calls him on his journey. He lashes out at his employees when deals fall through, pleads with his family, and struggles to remain calm while talking to the hospital.
While impressive, the limitations brought upon by the singular setting and character, challenge Hardy. For his performance, Hardy is tasked with reacting to the voices of his castmates. They cannot physically work with one another and feed off of each other's body language and interactions during these emotionally complex scenes. To portray the anguish, anger, or frustration that Ivan experiences, Hardy must rely on his voice an his own reactions within his vehicle. For any performer, it may not seem like a huge obstacle, but it certainly does test them.
During the filming of Locke, Hardy was ill. Rather than postponing filming, Knight simply made it part of the character. Throughout Locke, Ivan often reaches for tissues and at one point, even takes medication. Unlike most productions, Locke was filmed in a matter of days rather than weeks. As the lead, putting on such an innovative performance while being sick is an incredible feat in itself. When the film revolves solely around the performance of that character, it becomes even more impressive that Hardy pulled off such a stellar performance.
Locke may not be a blockbuster, but Hardy's performance is nothing short of spectacular. He overcomes obstacles that would seem to drastically impair his performance. It's no secret that Tom Hardy is an incredibly gifted actor and Locke solidifies it. Even in Capone, which seemed to disappoint moviegoers, Hardy's performance can be celebrated.
With Venom: Let There Carnage next on the docket, there's no doubt that Hardy will continue to amaze people with what he is able to accomplish.
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