Synopsis
Metal drummer Ruben begins to lose his hearing. When a doctor tells him his condition will worsen, he thinks his career and life is over. His girlfriend Lou checks the former addict into a rehab for the deaf hoping it will prevent a relapse and help him adapt to his new life. After being welcomed and accepted just as he is, Ruben must choose between his new normal and the life he once knew.
Your Movie Library
Cast
- Riz AhmedRuben Stone
- Olivia CookeLou
- Paul RaciJoe
- Lauren RidloffDiane
- Mathieu AmalricRichard Berger
- Domenico ToledoMichael
- Chelsea LeeJenn
- Shaheem SanchezShaheem
- Chris PerfettiHarlan
- Bill ThorpeThe Man
Recommendations
- 91
The Film Stage
This is a very personal story to Marder and it shows in the intricate ways he uses sound to place us within Ruben’s plight. - 91
IndieWire
[A] mesmerizing debut ... Sound of Metal injects visceral, edgy circumstances with remarkable sensitivity. - 90
Screen Daily
This remarkably assured debut ... uses the medium of cinema to its fullest extent, both visually and aurally. - 90
Film Threat
Here’s a film so quietly visceral it can sear through metal, “quietly” being the keyword. Don’t come in expecting a no-holds-barred assault on the senses. Nor is this a metal music extravaganza. The bulk of the film is silent, deliberate. We are thrust inside Ruben’s mind to hear what he hears, a pulsating, muted nothing, which is then jarringly contrasted with everyday sounds when we’re yanked back out of his head. The sound mixing and editing are nothing short of phenomenal in Sound of Metal. - 88
The Globe and Mail (Toronto)
A movie perfectly engineered for home viewing. Particularly with the best set of headphones that you own. - 85
Paste Magazine
An experiment of sound design paired with a stellar lead performance makes for a captivating film. - 83
The Playlist
Marder believes devoutly in the power of actors and acting, preferring to get out of the way and let them show their stuff. Ahmed returns the favor by delivering career-best work by a wide margin. - 80
The Hollywood Reporter
A film about the sudden onset of deafness that is too attentive to specifics of character and setting to ever feel like a rote disability drama.
