Wind rustling through leaves, hot water pouring into a coffee mug and the recent hit singles, these are some of the most common sounds people hear daily. Have you thought about what would happen if those sounds we so often take for granted just stop? The first narrative feature from writer-director Darius Marder uses the hearing loss of a heavy metal drummer to explore what happens when the life we know is snatched away.
Ruben Stone (Riz Ahmed) is the drummer in a hard rock band with his girlfriend Lou Berger (Olivia Cooke). The pair live a quiet existence in an RV, travelling the country for their underground concerts. Though their music is loud and angry, their lives together are peaceful and wholesome. It’s a nice contrast between their home lives and their work lives which shows they are happy together, despite their loud and chaotic lifestyle. We soon learn that Ruben’s chosen lifestyle is resulting in him quickly and suddenly losing his hearing. It’s an overwhelming diagnosis as losing his hearing makes who he is as a drummer and overall musician almost impossible.
After learning that his condition will only worsen, Ruben is told about the cochlear implants which could restore his hearing. Despite his doctor telling him to slow down and weigh his options, Ruben immediately sets about trying to afford the surgery, thinking it will restore his life to “normal” and he and Lou can get back on the road. Lou, however, becomes worried for Ruben’s well-being and we learn he’s a recovering heroin addict. Ruben reluctantly agrees to go to a remote deaf community and rehab facility run by Joe (Paul Raci) where he begins learning sign language and adjusting to his new reality, forming bonds with other people in the rehab and the local community. What follows is an inspiring yet at times, heart-breaking tale at one man’s attempt to follow a different beat.
Sound of Metal takes the auditory experience of film to a brand new and original level. Together with Ahmed’s terrific acting and the amazing sound design from Nicolas Becker (previously featured in Gravity (2013), we feel like we are living in Ruben’s headspace. Throughout the movie, we hear things exactly as Ruben does, whether that means nothing at all, very muffled audio, or the metallic sound of his cochlear implants. This makes it easy to empathise with Ruben’s struggle and perhaps understand the motivation behind his choices even if we wouldn’t choose the same path. Marder also emphasises this by utilizing subtitles in these specific scenes, both for the deaf community and to make Ruben’s situation more visceral for the viewers.
The filming and editing techniques also deserve special mention, especially when coupled with the sound design. When cutting between regular dialogue and muffled voices from Ruben’s perspective, Marder’s direction is very confident, keeping the audience’s attention as we watch Ruben’s journey from barely managing with his newfound deafness to it becoming a crucial part of him. Sound of Metal constantly balances between inspiring and heart-breaking, and it never feels sloppy or rushed. Ruben ignores advice from his doctors to omit loud noises from his life, showcasing a medium shot of him on the stage, mid-drum solo, sweating as he hammers away at the cymbals of his drum set. It is only until we experience a continuous shot of Lou worried for Ruben’s well-being.
Another part of Sound of Metal that makes the film unique is Riz Ahmed’s performance, among others. Last awards season, he finally got some well-deserved recognition, being nominated for the Best Actor category at many accolades including the Academy Awards and Golden Globes. He is quiet throughout most of the movie, but Ahmed conveys his struggling and uncertainty by just sitting there and relying on facial expressions and small movements to display emotion. You can see when he’s drawn to simple things like teaching a deaf child how to drum his hands rhythmically. His first ‘AA’ meeting at the centre is particularly eye-catching when everyone speaks in sign language and he hasn’t started to learn it yet. It’s a testament to Ahmed’s talent as an actor because you can see how much it overwhelms Ruben, yet he barely moves. His world has stopped, and he’s thrown into a new one he doesn’t know how to understand.
Another actor who deserves a special mention is Paul Raci. Raci himself is fluent in American sign language and that skill translates to Joe seamlessly. The character of Joe is introduced as a confidant to both Ruben and the audience, showing them a world that while unfamiliar is still very real. The clash between Ruben’s impatience and Joe’s guidance comprises much of the narrative with Joe preaching that being deaf is not a disability, but rather something to be embraced. This mirrors a real split within the deaf community about the feelings surrounding cochlear implants and whether deafness is a disability or not. Deaf people have managed without cochlear implants for years, forming communities and relationships that don’t define them as disabled.
Ruben understands at first, steadily adapting to this new lifestyle, attending different social circles within the deaf community and making friends with the members. However, it’s made clear he still desires the surgery, leading to a rift between him and Joe. The build-up of this tension results in a gut-wrenching scene as Joe never raises his voice, but his words still leave an impact. Joe urges Ruben to appreciate the stillness, leading to an ambiguous ending that opens the possibility for the audience interpret their own messages about the scene. Will the distortion lead Ruben to find peace in the stillness? Depending on your stance on the debate, the ending either works for you or it doesn’t. It will make you feel something one way or another.
Overall, Sound of Metal is a visceral and emotional film. Marder immerses the viewer into a deaf person’s world and creates an innovative sense of empathy. It’s an inspiring film about what it means when you have to start marching to the beat of a different drum when the familiar music stops.
Jacobs Reel Reviews 