SOUND OF METAL: FILM REVIEW
“The world does keep moving, and it can be a damn cruel place. But for me, those moments of stillness, that place, that's the kingdom of God,” Joe (Paul Raci), a deaf rehab facility mentor tells Ruben (Riz Ahmed), the protagonist in Sound of Metal. In his directorial debut, Dairus Marder crafts a film composed of profound aural physicality, through telling the story of a heavy metal drummer’s struggle to cope with his rapid loss of hearing.
The opening scene of Sound of Metal shows metal drummer Ruben shirtless, pounding swiftly and passionately on his drum kit, as his partner, Lou (Olivia Cooke), screams into the mic on stage. Then, the film cuts to a view of the couple’s RV, lined with angsty music posters, drum sets, and a bullet blender; it feels more cozy and comforting than cluttered. Ruben and Lou’s life together on the road seems exciting and unbothered, as we realize the two’s artistic partnership is also one bonded by strong mutual affection. However, by the couple’s next set, Ruben’s hearing starts to go.
In a state of panic, Ruben visits a doctor who tells him that he’s lost more than 80% of his hearing. Ruben can get surgery, but it costs more than forty grand and won’t restore the hearing he has already lost. Although Ruben wants to continue drumming and stick it out, his partner, Lou, convinces him to go to a deaf facility for addicts. The program is led by a deaf man named Joe, who makes it clear to Lou and Ruben early on that the program aims to teach deaf addicts how to live with their deafness, rather than surgically fix it. Ruben is initially reluctant, but Lou knows that Ruben must discipline himself before his addictive tendencies get the best of him.
Watching Sound of Metal is an all-encompassing sensory experience. Its sound design, spearheaded by the talented Nicolas Becker, puts the viewer both in Ruben’s shoes and that of a third-party observer. When Ruben begins to lose his hearing, the film’s audio is muffled, composed solely of low-frequency vibrations. In contrast, when Ruben smashes his fist against a table out of frustration, we are startled by the sound, even if Ruben can’t hear it. The film undoubtedly uses sound production as the main driver of Ruben’s narrative, and puts visual accompaniment in its passenger seat, as the camera pays special attention to the eyes of the film’s characters. Ruben’s eyes express feelings he can no longer voice, whether it’s the widening of his pupils when he frantically asks the doctor if he can get a cochlear implant to repair his deafness, or the longing way he gazes at Lou as she sings a French song with her father at the piano.
Joe’s eyes tell a different story. They are soft and rounded when Ruben explains his history of heroin addiction, but cloud with tears later on when Ruben continues to perceive deafness as a disability he must fix. Raci, who grew up with deaf parents, gives an extremely measured and controlled performance. Joe’s tolerance for Ruben’s denial and reluctance to accept his deafness is rooted in empathy and understanding. However, Joe is a man of principle, and when Ruben demands more than the deaf community can give, Joe refuses to budge.
Ruben is an addict, not just to drugs and substances, but to constantly moving forward and chasing the adrenaline that comes with it. Even after he’s told that the majority of his hearing is gone forever, Ruben insistently attempts to persuade Lou that they should continue touring. Much like Lou, Joe understands Ruben’s addictive tendencies. Throughout the program, Joe implements rules for Ruben that serve to force him to sit with himself. In addition to taking away the keys to his RV and his phone, Joe asks Ruben to wake up early every morning, sit alone in an empty room, and write. It is a meditative practice meant to quiet the mind, and Ruben valiantly fights against. Even when he is finally able to put words on paper, it is short-lived and with a fury.
Sound of Metal is a film about stillness as much as it is about grief. Ruben’s mourning is throughout, and his healing is a dance, where every step forward is often measured by a few steps back. Sound of Metal is deeply claustrophobic to sit through, as the film caves the viewer into the boxed world of Ruben’s internal frustrations. However, by the end of this fraught journey, the loss of sound doesn’t feel like the loss of Ruben’s livelihood anymore. The silence doesn’t feel so loud.