Sound of Metal: Embracing Silence

I watched Sound of Metal because it had been nominated for a slew of Oscars, it had garnered widespread critical acclaim, and I expected it to be a great movie. What I did not expect is that I would become so passionate about this movie's nomination for Best Sound. I never pay attention to that category, because I don't understand the artistry behind cinematic sound mixing and design. But this movie made me sit up and pay attention to the non-score elements of a movie's sound design. For the first time, I finally appreciated what my ears have been doing for me my entire life. 

Written by Abraham and Darius Marder (who also directed), the movie tells the story of Ruben (Riz Ahmed), a drummer in a heavy metal duo (the other half of the duo is his girlfriend, Lou, played by Olivia Cooke), who suddenly starts to lose his hearing. When he sees a doctor, he is advised that his hearing has already deteriorated to the point where he can only hear about 20%, and he needs to avoid loud noises to prevent further deterioration. Naturally, if you're a heavy metal drummer, that's a tough course of action. He's also told that cochlear implants might be an option to restore his hearing, but they aren't covered by insurance and would be frightfully expensive. 

Ruben is a recovering drug addict, and this news is not good for his sobriety. Concerned that he will suffer from a relapse and desperate to get him away from performing, Lou calls up his Narcotics Anonymous sponsor who helps Ruben find a place at a rehab program that is specifically for deaf addicts. The program is run by Joe (Paul Raci), a recovering alcoholic who lost his hearing in the Vietnam War. Ruben has no desire to join this program and confront his change in circumstances, but eventually, he is forced to give in.

This movie takes you on an incredible journey. Riz Ahmed has always been a wonderful actor, but this role is particularly perfect for him. At one point, Joe anoints Ruben with his American Sign Language name, which incorporates the sign for "owl" because when he first met Ruben, he looked like an owl with his big startled eyes. Ahmed's eyes are the keys to this performance, flashing with frustration or bewilderment, or abject fear as he contemplates his future. And Paul Raci, who was hired for this role because he is actually the child of deaf adults, is an absolute revelation. He is so compassionate, and patient, and stern, and while this movie is specifically about how to deal with becoming deaf, the advice Joe dispenses to Ruben about learning how to be still and deal with the emotions roiling through his body is something that we could all stand to incorporate in our daily lives.

But back to the Sound. This movie alternates between regular sound and then dampening everything so we can sense what Ruben's hearing must be like. It's a muffled sound, like being underwater, and I felt so hopelessly lost when plunged into that soundscape that my empathy for Ruben was off the charts. I won't spoil what happens later in the movie, but let's just say the sound design veers into another direction that was so jarring and catastrophic that it made me teary. Ordinarily, I wish I could see movies in theaters so I could experience the cinematography on a big screen. But this time, I just wished I could be in a theater for the Dolby surround sound and be immersed in the silence and cacophony that accompanies Ruben's journey. 

Sound of Metal is that rare and wondrous thing: an original screenplay, telling a brand new story about people and situations you have probably never encountered in real life, but which plunges you into their lives and helps you empathize with their plight. It's a transformative film that will make you want to learn sign language immediately so you can understand what people are saying throughout the film (cleverly, there are no subtitles so you have to figure it all out like Ruben does) and teaches you to view the deaf community in a non-ableist way. Watch this movie as soon as you can; it is quite perfect.