Sound Of Metal

Sound of Metal (2019) exists in the gulf between what life could be, should be, and what it is in reality. That gulf cannot be spanned nor escaped. The film focuses on Ruben, a touring musician who has rapidly lost his hearing, and thus, so much more. At its heart, Metal tackles Ruben's identity, who he believes he fundamentally is. By taking it away his addiction to that identity is exposed. This is one of the brilliant strokes of the movie, juxtaposing Ruben's addict past with his present sense of worth and being. The aching pain of not being able to fix or go back to what was, but to still exist, is rife upon Ruben's face, and that tension is then exposed in ourselves. His anguish and journey connect as we all have those things we cannot imagine living life without (health, family, career, passion, etc.) Director, Darius Marder aims for the large themes of our being in a life that is, as Joe (played by Paul Raci) puts it, "can be a damn cruel place." His lofty aims of existential pain and intangible suffering largely land due to being grounded in Riz Ahmed’s subtle performance, and the sound design and editing both of which immerse us in his experience. Sound Of Metal will sit with you long after its over, its questions ringing in your ears.

- RyGuy