This Is One of Tom Holland’s Highest Rated Movies (And He Isn’t Even on Screen)

Believe it or not, Tom Holland doesn’t even appear on screen in one of his best movies. The Spider-Man: No Way Home actor has featured in a variety of other projects outside of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and among them is the 2013 film Locke. Written and directed by Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight, Locke stars Tom Hardy as Ivan Locke, a construction manager who receives a series of life-changing phone calls one night while on the way to attending the birth of his child. Nearly the entirety of the movie’s 1 hour and 20-minute runtime takes place inside Ivan’s car as he drives from Birmingham to London. In addition to Holland, the other Locke stars who don’t physically appear include Olivia Colman, Ruth Wilson, Andrew Scott, Ben Daniels, and Bill Milner. Holland portrays the voice of Eddie Locke, who is one of Ivan’s two sons.

Locke was a massive success among critics, earning a score of 83 on Metacritic and a 91% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The A24-distributed film currently stands as Holland’s fifth-highest-rated movie according to RT, trailing only Spider-Man: Far From Home, Spider-Man: Homecoming, Spider-Man: No Way Home, and Avengers: Endgame. Locke generated roughly $5.2 million worldwide from its limited theatrical release in 2014, after opening at various film festivals the year prior. Although it was overlooked by every major awards committee, Locke remains an underrated gem. It justifies its outstanding reception by presenting a complex storyline in a surprisingly simplistic, and unorthodox, way. The first-rate acting performances in Locke additionally make it an excellent film.

Locke’s Unique Method of Storytelling Makes it Great

Constructing a narrative around phone calls strays far from conventional storytelling methods. Knight’s unique approach to developing the plot and characters makes Locke a fascinating watch. Ivan takes more than 30 calls throughout his 2-hour drive to London. The movie’s central conflict involves Ivan’s relationship with Bethan (Colman), the mother of his soon-to-be-born child, and his wife Katrina (Wilson). The imminent arrival of his child compels Ivan to leave work ahead of schedule, eliciting complications with his colleagues.

A strong emphasis on dialogue serves to flesh out the people in Ivan’s personal and professional lives as he speaks to them over the phone. Based on their conversations with Ivan, Eddie (Holland) and Sean (Milner) clearly play a major role in their father’s life. It’s amazing what can be discerned about a main character and the people close to him exclusively through over-the-phone interactions.

Locke Proves Tom Holland’s Versatility as an Actor

Holland’s exceptional talent doesn’t solely translate to physically appearing in front of the camera. Prior to Locke, the actor took on a small uncredited voice role in the 2010 animated film The Secret World of Arrietty. Since 2013, Holland has lent his voice to characters in projects such as 2019’s Spies in Disguise, 2020’s Dolittle, and 2020’s Onward. Some notable non-MCU live-action titles in Holland’s filmography include 2015’s In the Heart of the Sea, 2016’s The Lost City of Z, 2020’s The Devil All the Time, 2021’s Cherry, 2022’s Uncharted, and the 2023 TV series The Crowded Room. Although most people recognize Holland as the MCU’s Peter Parker/Spider-Man, it’s important to remember that he, like many other comic book franchise performers, possesses many talents that are on full display in lesser-known movies and shows.

The next stages of Holland’s career will see the 28-year-old appear in Christopher Nolan’s upcoming movie adaptation of Homer’s The Odyssey, which will also feature Holland’s fiancée Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Anne Hathaway, Matt Damon, Lupita Nyong’o, and Charlize Theron. Holland is set to make his MCU return in Avengers: Doomsday and a fourth Spider-Man solo film — both scheduled to hit theaters in 2026 along with Nolan’s project. As one of the most in-demand actors in Hollywood, Holland has an exciting road ahead.

You can rent Locke on Amazon Prime Video.