A heavy-metal drummer’s life is thrown into freefall when he begins to lose his hearing.
Ruben (Riz Ahmed) and Lou (Olivia Cooke) tour the country in their RV as the heavy metal duo Black Gammon. The couple lives a nomadic lifestyle where they spend almost every minute with each other. It becomes evident that both have had issues with self-acceptance and confidence. Ruben stamps himself with his rebellious tattoo messages such as the “Please Kill Me” written across his chest and Lou carries the scars of her trauma on her forearm. One day, Ruben begins to experience a rapid decay of his hearing. His deafness creates a rift between the pair as Lou and Ruben must learn how to traverse this new world they’ve been thrown into. Ruben is later introduced to a deaf community where he has the opportunity to learn how to live and accept his new circumstances.
“Sound of Metal” is an extraordinary story of a person’s journey into a new world. The film brings to the forefront the challenges of starting over. The struggles and triumphs of the duo that comprise Black Gammon can fill your heart with joy and hope just as it can fill it with dread and sorrow. The movie takes its time to allow the audience to take part in the journey and cement us in the middle of Ruben’s experiences as a newly deaf person. Especially, with the amazing sound design that is ever-present throughout the film. All this is compounded with the fact that Riz Ahmed gives a powerhouse performance that truly brings to life Ruben’s anxious and lost persona.
Ahmed is not new to playing interesting characters but this leading role proves that he’s yet to fulfill his full range. His filmography includes some great films that showcase his potential leading up to “Sound of Metal.” He’s held his own against other established acting powerhouses such as Jake Gyllenhaal, Tom Hardy, and Diego Luna. Here, in “Sound of Metal,” Ahmed brings to life the character of Ruben through his expressiveness and displays of intense emotions that truly feels representative of a person going through these specific struggles. He seems to grasp the idea of Ruben’s unwavering effort to return to normalcy by any and all means, even if he doesn’t fully understand those means. It also helps that the film surrounds him with a talented cast that contributes to Ruben’s journey. Olivia Cooke aka Lou is just as, if not more, isolated and anxious than Ruben before his condition arose. Her transformation and struggle may not be the primary focus but is definitely a contributing factor in “Sound of Metal”’s success in telling this story. Lou must also learn to survive in this new world she’s in and has as much of a cathartic self-discovery as Ruben. Their relationship is a foundational element in the relatability and hopefulness that exudes from this story.
The movie’s production cleverly places these peaceful silences and crisp noises that bring you in and out of Ruben’s deteriorating hearing. The sounds of the world surrounding them are so loud and clamorous at times, like the beat of the drums, the drip from the coffee maker, or just the world happening in all its chaos. Also included are the mumbled echoes of conversations we witness from Ruben’s perspective as he tries to communicate with people. It all creates this understanding of the world we are being presented with and journeying along with Ruben. His desperation to have his hearing returned is such a driving force for him the more he falls into the silence. Director Darius Marder’s careful consideration to put these auditory cues for the audiences to really deep dive into this world is impressive, to say the least.
In the end, “Sound of Metal” is a great film that presents a powerful and emotional story. Although the movie may feel like it drags at certain points, it manages to pick itself up through the relevancy of those portions. Nothing is really wasted in the film and it flows naturally towards its conclusion. The sound design is so crucial to the atmosphere of the world and is executed with near perfection. Riz Ahmed deserves a ton of credit for bringing to life the character of Ruben and will most likely be received well by anyone who watches “Sound of Metal.” Exciting things may come for this film once it releases to the masses and I await the opinion and reviews of fellow film enthusiasts. This is a gem of a film that will take you on a rollercoaster of emotions and cathartic realizations throughout its two-hour runtime.
In Select Theaters November 20th and on Amazon Prime Video December 4th
