Sound of Metal is an impactful and immersive drama about hearing loss
Riz Ahmed is incredible in this film
★★★★★
A heavy-metal drummer’s life is thrown into freefall when he begins to lose his hearing. (IMDb)
Not that it isn’t still deep and compelling, but you can just tell Darius Marder’s Sound of Metal (the director’s debut feature film, mind you) would’ve been even more of a profound and captivating experience if you watched it at the cinema. It’s a powerhouse piece of dramatic filmmaking that delivers some seriously impressive sound design and editing, anchored by tremendous performances from lead actor Riz Ahmed and Paul Raci. Most of us are stuck watching this at home, so my recommendation is to turn up the TV speakers (if you’ve got a soundbar, that’s even better) and turn the lights down — this is a film that deserves that proper movie theatre atmosphere.
What’s it about?
The film tells the story of heavy metal drummer Ruben (Ahmed), who is accompanying his girlfriend Lou (Olivia Cooke), the singer of their band, on a tour around America. All of a sudden, Ruben starts struggling to hear, and his hearing begins deteriorating at speed. The film pulls us into his perspective and makes the audience feel Ruben’s increasing deafness with exquisite sound design that portrays his feelings of confusion, denial and frustration and fear. Ruben is an addict, too. As he begins to spiral, the film becomes not just about how his hearing loss affects his life and work but also his recovery. He goes to a facility run by Joe (Paul Raci), a man who is committed to helping people accept their deafness rather than seeing it as a flaw to fix.
An intense and moving story about loss
Riz Ahmed is an undeniably talented actor, and his incredible performance here has earned him a much-deserved Oscar nomination. He plays Ruben with a lot of subtlety and complexity, crafting a character who feels real throughout. The way he rationalises his situation is relatable, as we see him initially deny the gravity of it all and put his hopes into the possibility of implant surgery that may change his hearing but won’t return it to the way it used to be. Joe is the central character involved in helping Ruben to accept what’s happened, and Raci’s performance is also searing and powerful (he’s also earned a justified Oscar nod).
As mentioned above, the sound design of the film is a huge part of why it is so effective. There’s a slight constant ringing and Sound of Metal makes you aware of how alienating Ruben’s experience is, and how scary it must feel. Marder’s film makes intelligent use of silence, uses sound and visuals together to throw the viewer off-balance, and delivers sudden cuts between Ruben’s muffled and muted world and the sharp loudness of the hearing world.
Moments of silence and stillness
The central themes of Sound of Metal are clear from early in the film. “The hearing you have lost is not coming back,” the specialist tells Ruben at his first appointment. “Your obligation now is to preserve the hearing you have.” But that’s much easier said than done, and the lead character is frequently unable to accept the severity of his deafness. This film is all about loss and about how you can’t go backwards and regain something that’s now gone forever. It’s a story about learning to accept change, and how such a life-changing event can bring things that are both good and bad. There’s a lot of clarity that can come from having to go through such pain, but Ruben can never really go back to the musician he was.
Much of the film is about Ruben coming to terms with this reality. And, while it is about grappling with deafness, it’s just as much about addiction and behaviours associated with being an addict. We see how this trauma could easily lead to Ruben using drugs again, and we’re shown how his actions reflect the desperation of an addict. It’s evident how much he depends on his support system and how he seeks distraction from his thoughts and demons. And, throughout, Joe pushes him to do the one thing he’s unable to do: just sit with his feelings, find calm and experience moments of stillness and peace.
Where to watch
Sound of Metal is streaming right now on Amazon Prime Video.
Need to know
Running time: 2 hours
Director: Darius Marder
Writers: Darius Marder, Abraham Marder
Stars: Riz Ahmed, Olivia Cooke, Paul Raci
Verdict
It’s an astonishing film with a masterful performance from Riz Ahmed. The script, editing and sound design make it an impactful experience.
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