Sound of Metal (2019) Movie Review
Every once in a while you’ll see a movie that is so wildly different than anything you’ve seen before and it will make you incredibly happy that unique stories are still being told. Sound of Metal is that type of movie. Ruben (Riz Ahmed) and Lou (Olivia Cooke) are in a band together. Lou sings and plays guitar and Ruben is the drummer. Their music genre is screamo-metal and you get a glimpse of their live shows at the beginning of the movie. We see the two bandmates are more than just bandmates as Ruben prepares breakfast for them each morning and they dance around their campervan together, very much in love.
It’s a sweet relationship until Ruben begins having hearing difficulties then loses his hearing all together. Lou doesn’t know what to do to help him but somehow Ruben is able to get into a rehab facility for people who are deaf. While he’s there, he has to learn how to be deaf. He is put into a class with young children and begins to learn sign language. It’s a rocky start for Ruben at the beginning. He gets frustrated easily and struggles to accept his new reality. He actively pursues a surgery that would insert implants into his ears so he would be able to hear again. But slowly, he begins to learn how to navigate life without being able to hear. He makes friends and becomes part of the community. Of course some bumps appear in the road later on and I don’t want to spoil the ending because it’s really beautiful and you should watch it for yourself.
Riz Ahmed is phenomenal as Ruben. He deftly conveys how difficult of a transition it would be, going from hearing to being deaf almost overnight. Ahmed is able to display the anger and rage one would undoubtedly feel, but he couples that with a sensitivity that was surprising. Lou’’s presence is felt in the movie as bookends but Cooke makes the most of her screen time. You can sense how much they care for each other and how their relationship changes when Ruben loses his hearing. It’s a revealing story about relationships being right in the right time and then changing when it is outgrown.
The best part of the movie is when Ruben is at the rehab center with the deaf community. He is mentored by Joe (Paul Raci) who lost his hearing during the Vietnam War. Joe and Ruben have much in common, they were once able to hear and now they cannot. They both struggle with addictions. They both struggle with coping with their new reality. Joe does his best to help Ruben adapt to life as a deaf person. He helps him in other ways too, mainly by being a reliable friend. At the beginning their relationship is fraught with tension, but their respect for each other grows and their friendship blossoms into something truly wonderful. The last scene that Joe appears in is heart wrenching and your eyes may mist over with tears.
While the acting is noteworthy, the sound design steals the show. Depicting Ruben’s hearing issues was so well done, it gave you a first hand experience of what that would sound and feel like. There were plenty of times where all you could hear were muffled sounds or the sound of Ruben’s heart beat. It was a jarring transition from hearing everything, to hearing nothing or muffled sounds that were barely audible. It gave a unique perspective into what it would be like to experience significant hearing loss.
Sound of Metal explores so many interesting themes regarding relationships and challenges in life. It is an introspective look at overcoming obstacles and dealing with life as it comes at you. Marvelous performances from Ahmed, Cooke, and Raci make the characters memorable and the sound design puts you right in the midst of an experience most of us aren’t familiar with. Sound of Metal is a well constructed and well executed movie that you won’t want to miss.
Film or Movie: Film
You’ll like this film if:
1. You know someone who is deaf
2. You like stories about overcoming obstacles
3. You love sound design
