Sound of Metal (2019)
The most satisfying stories are the ones that keep you guessing and turn out to be so much more than what you anticipated. I had no idea where Sound of Metal was going next, how it would end, or how close to its conclusion I was at any point. With some of the finest performances of the year, a thoughtful, touching story, and excellent sound design (it’ll win an Academy Award for it, I’m sure), this is one of the year’s best films.
Ruben Stone (Riz Ahmed) is the drummer of heavy metal duo Blackgammon when his hearing suddenly gives out. Tests show Ruben can now make out less than 30% of the words he hears. Sensing her boyfriend’s breaking point approaching and fearing he’ll relapse, Lou (Olivia Cooke) convinces him to go to a shelter for deaf recovering addicts.
Immediately, there’s a lot to unpack. You see Ruben with his ugly tattoos all over his body, living on the road with his girlfriend and bandmate, performing loud, angry songs. You wonder what kind of rage simmers underneath. Then you see him wake up, do his morning exercises to romantic music, and prepare a healthy breakfast for Lou. Whatever person he might’ve been has been exorcised by love. He’s a recovering drug addict, she used to hurt herself. They’re not rich but they’re happy. Then, this incident comes and ruins everything.
It isn’t merely that Ruben will no longer be able to play, it’s that the shelter’s policy isolates him in a devastating way. He can’t communicate with anyone outside - including Lou. He can’t sign either. You’re sure the rules Joe (Paul Raci) is imposing are there for a reason… but you wonder if they’re what Ruben needs. Yes, the people he’s with are well-adjusted and happy, but does being able to hear mean the same to them as it does to him? You know. You’ve been there, struggling to piece together conversations. You heard the sound suddenly cut out mid-performance. You’ve seen how difficult it is to be out there and try to live a normal life.
The bulk of this film has our protagonist hanging onto this narrow ledge, struggling to climb back up and you wonder if you even want him to. If he was going to inevitable relapse, this might be a blessing in disguise, a chance to start new. You can see that but even if he does, Ruben refuses to even consider the possibility.
In this role, Riz Ahmed is so good you forget that when they were shooting, he wasn’t hearing what we are. The audio wasn’t mixed on-set. He just had to pretend like it was. You so desperately want him to emerge from this thing ok you’re scared the whole way through, which makes the ending just soul-crushing and beautiful at the same time. Sound of Metal is about deafness turning someone's life upside down but it turns into so much more. (March 30, 2021)
