Tom Hardy in a musical? How surprising is that?! Well, not a lot if you know a little something about the man – or have at least seen Bronson. Even the article we’re scalping this news from seems staggered by the idea – and it mentions Bronson! But I’m guessing that writer never actually watched it.
No, Hardy doesn’t sing in Bronson. Sadly, nor does he in this trailer. But that surreal movie gave him plenty of room to show he’s got a lot of range, a good douse of theatre experience and in many ways reflect the diversity we see in actors like Hugh Jackman.
Hardy been sandwiched into the action genre and if the new Mad Max doesn’t end up being a flop, he’ll enjoy considerably more time as a muscle-bound saviour of the innocent (or muscle-bound bad guy).
But he also gathered a wider group of fans who insist on his greater talent, as one friend who keeps bugging me to watch Locke. London Road will just add wood to their growing fire, though the trailer does not really reveal much about Hardy’s character at all:
Here’s the synopsis:
London Road documents the events of 2006, when the quiet rural town of Ipswich was shattered by the discovery of the bodies of five women. The residents of London Road had struggled for years with frequent soliciting and kerb-crawling on their street. When a local resident was charged and then convicted of the murders, the community grappled with what it meant to be at the epicentre of this tragedy.
It’s a weird theme for a musical, but the original stage play was a massive hit. So much so that the original cast now made a movie, directed by the stage show’s producer, Rufus Norris. Hardy stars as a taxi driver and I wonder if he’s only in it for brief moments. Perhaps he is starring in this to help raise the film’s profile.
But it’s a good place for Hardy to take a back seat, as the ensemble cast are all also salted theatre performers. That is usually a good thing in a movie like this and musical fans should keep an eye out for London Road‘s UK release in a few months’ time.
Last Updated: April 28, 2015
