Sound of Metal

Name: Sound of Metal
Genre: Drama, Music
Released: November 20, 2020
Duration: 120 min
Rating: 82
Cast: Bill Thorpe, Chelsea Lee, Chris Perfetti, David Arthur Sousa, Domenico Toledo

2020

METASCORE

Universal acclaim based on 37 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 203 Ratings

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7.9

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7.9	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 203 Ratings

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Sound Of Metal

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Movie Details & Credits

Amazon Studios | Release Date: November 20, 2020 | R

Starring: Bill Thorpe, Chelsea Lee, Chris Perfetti, David Arthur Sousa, Domenico Toledo, Hillary Baack, Jamie Ghazarian, Lauren Ridloff, Mathieu Amalric, Michael Tow, Olivia Cooke, Paul Raci, Rena Maliszewski, Riz Ahmed, Shaheem Sanchez, Tom Kemp, William Xifaras

Movie Facts:

Received six Academy Award nominations including best picture.
Available on Amazon Prime December 4, 2020.

Summary: During a series of adrenaline-fueled one-night gigs, itinerant punk-metal drummer Ruben (Riz Ahmed) begins to experience intermittent hearing loss. When a specialist tells him his condition will rapidly worsen, he thinks his music career — and with it his life — is over. His bandmate and girlfriend Lou (Olivia Cooke) checks the recoveringDuring a series of adrenaline-fueled one-night gigs, itinerant punk-metal drummer Ruben (Riz Ahmed) begins to experience intermittent hearing loss. When a specialist tells him his condition will rapidly worsen, he thinks his music career — and with it his life — is over. His bandmate and girlfriend Lou (Olivia Cooke) checks the recovering heroin addict into a secluded sober house for the deaf in hopes it will prevent a relapse and help him learn to adapt to his new situation. But after being welcomed into a community that accepts him just as he is, Ruben has to choose between his equilibrium and the drive to reclaim the life he once knew. … Expand

Director: Darius Marder

Genre(s): Drama, Music

Rating: R

Runtime: 120 min

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

100

Matt Maytum

Apr 13, 2021

A small film that hits big, Sound Of Metal is a gem you’ll want to bang the drum for. Read full review

Clint Worthington

Nov 18, 2020

Sound of Metal is a film about loss and grief, and what we do with ourselves when our lives change irrevocably. Read full review

Justin Chang

Nov 19, 2020

By zooming in and out of his protagonist’s consciousness, Marder casts aside any pretense of omniscience; he empathizes, but he also knows when to detach. Ruben’s journey is a privilege to witness, but it’s one he’ll ultimately have to walk alone. Read full review

Jeannette Catsoulis

Nov 19, 2020

Propelled by a distinctive style and a potent lead performance, Darius Marder’s Sound of Metal builds a singular tension between silence and noise. Read full review

Christopher Machell

May 18, 2021

Sound of Metal is an astonishing accomplishment for both its long-nascent director and its British star, Riz Ahmed, for whom his turn as heavy metal drummer Ruben represents a career-best performance.c Read full review

James Berardinelli

Dec 23, 2020

Sound of Metal tells a story about coping and overcoming while avoiding the narrative pitfall of artifice. Read full review

Owen Gleiberman

Nov 18, 2020

Sound of Metal is two hours and 10 minutes long, and it moves at a snail’s pace, not because “nothing happens,” but because Marder hasn’t filled in the dramatic interior of what does happen. He has made a movie about deafness that’s at once experiential and too muffled to hear. Read full review

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User Reviews

Neu-ro-man-cer

May 5, 2021

One Visceral, Mind-Opening, Transformative Piece of Art……. #louderthanwords

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Pedrokelvi

Dec 27, 2020

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The purpose of the film is to bring audiences a sound immersion, a fact that happens. I particularly felt connected to the character Ruben and this is linked to the exceptional performance of actor Riz Ahmed. It deserves to be remembered at the Oscars.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

bfoore90

Aug 11, 2021

Very good film. Riz Ahmed gives an amazing and noteworthy performance and continues to prove himself as an underrated actor. When Ruben begins to lose his hearing, you feel for him with a fantastic supporting cast around him. This is a real and authentic film and I liked it alot.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Marakai

Dec 18, 2020

Originally planned as project by director Derek Cianfrance, based on the “Metalhead” drummer who actually did blow his ears out and had to adapt to silence. The film was unfinished and debutant director Darius Marder was given Cianfrance’s blessing to complete it. And what a solid debut itOriginally planned as project by director Derek Cianfrance, based on the “Metalhead” drummer who actually did blow his ears out and had to adapt to silence. The film was unfinished and debutant director Darius Marder was given Cianfrance’s blessing to complete it. And what a solid debut it is. It’s a slow burn but nonetheless captivating film that really pays attention to the affliction of Riz Ahmed’s character and makes great use of sound mixing to put the audience directly into the experience of the sudden onset of deafness. Ahmed gives a brilliantly reserved performance and compliments the quieter moments of the film where it achieves its biggest impact.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

TVJerry

Nov 25, 2020

Riz Ahmed is one of the most impressive actors of his generation and this film gives him the showcase role to solidify his standing. He plays a punk-metal drummer on tour with his girlfriend (Olivia Cooke who also turns in a moving performance). Things go sideways quickly when he suddenlyRiz Ahmed is one of the most impressive actors of his generation and this film gives him the showcase role to solidify his standing. He plays a punk-metal drummer on tour with his girlfriend (Olivia Cooke who also turns in a moving performance). Things go sideways quickly when he suddenly loses his hearing. The character Ahmed creates is not only aggressive and determined, but ultimately venerable and touching. The script and direction seem a bit random at times (there are some lapses in logic), but it always returns to Ahmed’s creation. The sound design also contributes to the experience of alternate hearing and open captioning is on screen to be more inclusive for a deaf audience.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

ahmedaiman1999

Mar 24, 2021

While the craftsmanship of sound design is nothing short of excellent, it's nothing more than practical. It's by no means exceptional, but that doesn't take away anything from its value and efficiency that, in part, rendered this movie a truly immersive experience. It's Riz Ahmed's bravuraWhile the craftsmanship of sound design is nothing short of excellent, it's nothing more than practical. It's by no means exceptional, but that doesn't take away anything from its value and efficiency that, in part, rendered this movie a truly immersive experience. It's Riz Ahmed's bravura performance, though, that gives Sound of Metal resonance that, in turn, made Ruben one of the most relatable movie characters I've witnessed in recent memory. His ability to reflect his fluctuating feelings throughout the movie and how he perceives every phase in his new life is simply astonishing. The aching experience Ruben goes through demands a real acting talent to make the audience emotionally connected to the protagonist, but Ahmed proved he's not just a talented actor but also one who's in a total command of his craft. For if it's hard to make the viewer feel what his character feels, it's even harder to transport its mental state to the audience. Here, we don't only get the sense of loss and being stripped of everything that forms every inch of Ruben in a flicker, nor only do we only understand his pressing need to regain what he lost—especially since the possibility hovering in the air—but we see him grappling with the dilemma of whether he should continue his journey of adapting to his new condition as if it was the norm or he should keep clutching onto the flicker of hope that definitely wouldn't help in case of it turned out to be a mere mirage.

Furthermore, the movie also excels in aspects other than its nuanced portrait of its main character, namely is its exploration of deaf community that truly offers new insights. That's mostly because of the effort shown in the meticulous attention to its essential components, most notably the sign language. However, Paul Raci played a major part in that by portraying the leader of this community and a mentor for Ruben. Through his facial expressions during conversations with Ruben, he delineates the professional duties such an occupation demands. We see him monitoring Ruben's progress and interfering according to his understanding of Ruben's character in particular. As for Olivia Cooke, she further proves she's a remarkable young talent that yet to bloom. Playing Ruben's bandmate and girlfriend Lou, she managed to prove how important she's to Ruben as his most great and precious loss and equally as a great help for him to get a better sense of what he has lost and how to cope with that.

The acting clinic these three immense talents put on here left an indelible impression on me, but disregarding the technical quality would make absolutely no sense. Besides the exquisite sound design, the highly-articulate cinematography truly adds up to the experience. If there's only one issue I have about this movie it would be its failure to maintain the same dramatic heft that was in its first half. As the focus on Ruben's progression through his medical recovery and its consequences slightly overpowered the emotional quality, and hence there was a bit of it lost that even the wrap-up failed to fully retrieve. (8.5/10)… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

PhilMarks

Jan 16, 2021

The use of sound effects to portray musician losing his hearing are dramatic. But pacing of film is monotonous. The plot has curious gaps. The process of receiving implants is over-simplified as is its cost and timeline.

0 of 3 users found this helpful03

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46	#46 Best Movie of 2020
51	#51 Most Discussed Movie of 2020