Moments of Stillness: A “Sound of Metal” Review
I wasn’t expecting to be so touched after watching Darius Marder’s Sound of Metal. I chose not to watch the trailer beforehand, instead only reading a brief plot description, and was immediately intrigued by the film.
Ruben, played by Riz Ahmed, is the drummer of a heavy metal band duo alongside his girlfriend and lead singer, Lou (Olivia Cooke). They live in very modest RV that conveniently allows them to travel around the country on their tours. The viewer learns this information during the first few minutes of the film with little to no exposition. There are subtle nods about both Ruben and Lou’s troubled past and it is understood that they have a very special relationship.
Everything is going perfectly fine until the ringing starts. Thanks to a fantastic sound design, we notice that Ruben’s hearing gradually begins to fade. He decides to keep playing shows despite the ringing, but inevitably, when it starts to affect his drumming, he panics and decides to go visit a doctor to find out the problem. This only confirms his worst fear; he has lost most of his hearing, and he will lose it completely if he continues to expose himself to loud noises. Ruben’s whole life revolves around his music, so the news hits him hard. Here, the main character is thrust into a horrible situation: doing what he loves the most has tragically prevented him from doing that very same thing.
After the events of the first act, the rest of the movie could easily be assumed to be terribly heartbreaking story, but this is not such a case. Ahmed’s performance as a deaf man is captivating and truly fascinating to watch. He spends the rest of the movie learning how to cope with his situation, and as a result, he has very few lines. Apparently, Ahmed wore auditory blockers during some sections of the film’s production, he also learned ASL (American Sign Language) for the film and used it to communicate with other cast members and even Marder himself. Ahmed’s expressions communicate Ruben’s feelings in a way rarely ever seen in other films.
The film features a cast comprised largely of people from the deaf community- notoriously underrepresented in media- and it shows. Ruben attends a deaf rehab facility where he is mentored by Joe (Paul Raci), who never fails to say the right thing nor teach the right lesson to Ruben. Raci ends up as a supporting character who creates a real impact, and whose lessons echo through the screen. During Ruben’s time in this facility, he learns ASL and meets many people in his same situation. One of the film’s most touching moments happens between Ruben and Harlan, a deaf student from the school of deaf children he constantly visits. A silent and seemingly unimportant moment that proves so effective thanks not only to great direction and superb acting, but also a clear understanding of what it feels like to belong to the deaf community.
Like mentioned before, the film features an excellent sound design that adds depth to the main character’s experience and his journey. There is a scene when Ruben is being evaluated by a doctor, and he is asked to repeat the words the doctor is saying to him. Through the sound design, the audience can barely make up the words, mildly recreating how Ruben is hearing at the time. It’s such a frustrating moment that creates empathy and understanding. Sound of Metal is full of frustrating moments, but most of all it’s full of eye-opening and beautiful silent moments. The world takes on another approach as Ruben learns he is not- he will never be- alone in his journey.
While the finale may seem a bit ordinary, it’s arguably the most important moment in the whole film. It’s a truly cathartic moment, hearkening back to an important scene earlier in the film between Ruben and Joe. The last few moments of silence, of stillness, are just the cherry on top of a beautiful film that follows the journey of a man immersing himself into the deaf community, leaving us with a film that feels genuine, empathetic, and delivers a powerful message deserving of endless commendation.
You can watch Sound of Metal on Amazon Prime.
