Tension. It is perhaps the most vital component of any good story. Whether that story is dramatic, romantic, horrific or comedic – they all need an element of tension to make them work. There are many, highly effective plot devices that filmmakers can employ to build that tension – in concert with more technical methods, such as sound, lighting, music and framing – but there is, perhaps, none better than the old solo character trope, which is used to great effect in this month’s Locke.