Locked Down – A Solid Pandemic Heist Comedy (Early Review)

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic that has hampered most of 2020, and the film industry as a whole, may have continued into 2021 but things are looking to turn around. Despite most film and television productions either being put on hold or cancelled altogether as a result, some have taken proactive measures to protect themselves and others have embraced the pandemic in terms of storytelling. Shot in 18 days in London during the COVID-19 pandemic, the aptly-named Locked Down is one of the better films that have spawned from the pandemic by using it in a compelling way in the form of an engrossing character drama that builds into a satisfying caper while transcending the fact that the film takes place during a pandemic. That being said, the film was not without its problems though considering the circumstances, it does pull off quite a lot. The film succeeds by primarily riding the great chemistry and star power of its two stars, Anne Hathaway and Chiwetel Ejiofor, who are well worth the watch.

As mentioned, Locked Down takes place in London during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and follows an estranged couple named Linda (Hathaway) and Paxton (Ejiofor). Forced to remain together in the same home as a result of the pandemic, they found themselves at their wits’ end while trying to make it work in spite of their current predicament. While Linda worked at a job she hated, Paxton sought to overcome his past and make something out of his life. They were clearly drifting apart from one another but their extended time together afforded them the chance to, arguably whether they wanted to or not, confront one anothers about the reasons why that was the case. This of course brought forth plenty of heated drama and strong personal moments for either character as they reminisced about what was. What would have further drove that drama home was more backstory for Linda and Paxton (instead of a few subplots that didn’t really matter in the grand scheme of the plot). Nevertheless, it did enough to set up what was to come as Linda and Paxton were given a potential way out though whether or not they would go their separate ways by the end remained to be seen.

From there, Locked Down became a heist film as Linda and Paxton were given a means to enact some sort of justice against those who have slighted them. However, things were not quite that simple as they faced real stakes not to mention their evolving feelings for one another. While the end result was never in doubt, this second act was still a blast to watch. Despite their feelings for one another, Linda and Paxton had to work together which wasn’t necessarily a sure thing but they persevered towards a common goal of seeking justice against those who have slighted them and to get what they felt they deserved. In the end, it was all about getting them back together somehow. Therefore the only thing left in question was will they or won’t they (their reflection while locked down together would lead to that answer)? Suffice it to say that the heist wasn’t a seamless operation, spawning some hilarious moments (including one from the trailer that may or may not have gotten old).

At the end of the day, what made Locked Down work was the stellar performances of Hathaway and Ejiofor as Linda and Paxton and their great chemistry. Despite the shallow story and characters, though good dialog, they kept the film watchable by creating a fun and relatable couple to care about and root for, enough so to pull through. Due to the circumstances, the film was essentially them and they unsurprisingly delivered with the script at least giving them several moments to shine. Meanwhile, the remainder of the film outside of them didn’t matter all that much though it did feature what amounted to decent cameos from the likes of Ben Stiller, Stephen Merchant, Mindy Kaling, and Kingsley as Paxton’s boss Malcolm.

Overall, Locked Down makes the most out of its circumstances to deliver a worthwhile watch though one that was maybe a touch too long.

still courtesy of Warner Media

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Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.