Sound of Metal could have easily been a saccharine, tugging-at-your-heartstrings affair. It follows Ruben (Riz Ahmed), a recovered addict and metal drummer who discovers that he is losing his hearing. Instead of wallowing in misery, director Darius Marder and co-writer Abraham Marder stage an intense character study that sheds light on both the deaf community and Ruben’s quest (or rather, unwillingness) to find comfort in silence.
Once Ruben’s girlfriend and bandmate Lou (Olivia Cooke) learns about his condition, she insists that he join a deaf support group and live among them. He gives in, but asks her to wait for him as he gets better. Most of the movie takes place in this setting, as Ruben adjusts to learning sign language and coming to terms with his new normal. The group’s leader, Joe (Paul Raci), a Vietnam vet who lost his hearing during the war, makes it clear that Ruben doesn’t need to fix anything in the community and should learn to sit still and appreciate the silence.
The centerpiece of Sound of Metal is Riz Ahmed, who holds the film together with his subdued performance.
Although there are times when he lashes out, for the most part his despair and anguish is silent, portrayed through his eyes and body language. He also learned how to play drums and use American Sign Language for the film. He succeeds in portraying a character that generates empathy in the audience, despite having many unlikeable traits.
Ruben is stubborn to a fault, and he sacrifices almost all of his worldly possessions to get enough money for ear surgery that would give him implants, so that he can get back with Lou. When his implants are activated, however, he hears metallic distortions instead of clear sounds. The doctor explains that his hearing is never going back to normal, which was probably mentioned to him before the surgery, but Ruben was so single minded about the implants that he probably ignored it.
Darius Marder creates an immersive atmosphere for the audience with his use of sound. Often the sound cuts away to muffled noise, and once Ruben gets his implants, it turns into metallic, distorted echoes that become harder to distinguish in crowds.
If there is one thing that is problematic with Sound of Metal, it is that it seems to side with Joe when it comes to shunning Ruben’s desire for getting back his hearing. While Joe is right to insist that being deaf is not a handicap, Ruben also has the right to make this choice about his own life. Joe drives him away, and maybe that is a valid choice, as Ruben’s presence would make the other deaf individuals question why they weren’t seeking implants of their own.
Of course, there’s also another narrative in Sound of Metal that involves Ruben and Lou. Although they seemed to have worked past each other’s addictions, for Lou, the film suggests that the relationship was somewhat toxic. She was always close to the razor’s edge, liable to slip back into her self-harming habits. It’s heartbreaking when Ruben realizes that he has to let her go so that she can move on. Afterwards, when Ruben realizes that he is at a crossroads where his old life is well and truly over, he decides to take a moment and immerse himself in silence, turning off his implants.
This is Darius Marder’s directorial debut, which is quite surprising. As much as this is a triumph for Riz Ahmed, it’s also a terrific start for Marder. Hopefully, he can make smart choices and cement himself as one of the most compelling new voices in modern cinema.