SOUND OF METAL. Finding One’s Place in Silence

Ruben (Riz Ahmed) is a drummer and one half of the experimental metal duo Blackgammon. Together with his girlfriend Lou (Olivia Cooke), they travel across the U.S. in their impressive mobile home, playing concerts for a group of devoted fans, living a dream shared by many musicians. But one day, Ruben wakes up and realizes he’s almost completely lost his hearing. Doctors confirm the worst: the hearing loss is permanent and irreversible, and the only way to regain some sense of normalcy is through implants that cost tens of thousands of dollars.

This is the tragic situation in which we meet the protagonist of “Sound of Metal”, the feature debut of Darius Marder, co-written by Derek Cianfrance, known for “Blue Valentine” among others. Ruben’s world falls apart rapidly – within the first ten minutes of the film, he begins to experience the first symptoms, and shortly afterward, he becomes completely deaf. For a drummer, whose sense of hearing is everything, this feels like a death sentence – Ruben is stripped of the ability to do what he loves, and the suddenness of the situation throws him off balance mentally. As a former addict, he’s on the brink of relapse, and it’s only the quick intervention of a former sponsor (a term used for addiction recovery mentors) that helps Ruben find any stability in this extremely difficult situation. He has to part ways with Lou for a while and ends up at a facility run by Joe (Paul Raci), a place that seems ideal for the restless Ruben, as its residents are deaf people, many of whom also have a history of addiction.

At this point, one might expect the story to move toward Ruben’s salvation – in a literal sense, as Joe is deeply religious, and Ruben’s stay at the facility is sponsored by a church. But “Sound of Metal” is not a simple story full of easy answers. Although the former drummer gradually adjusts to life among the deaf, learning sign language and even forming friendships, mentally, he still does not see himself as deaf. He secretly uses Joe’s computer to stay up to date with his girlfriend’s life and continues to devise a plan to raise the money for the expensive implants. He’s convinced that the only obstacle to returning to his old life is money, but Marder never lets the audience believe that for even a second. Riz Ahmed, delivering the performance of his career, brilliantly portrays Ruben’s emotional instability. He’s not insane, but years spent in the grip of drug addiction have left an indelible mark on him. In one of the film’s best scenes, when Ruben has an honest conversation with Joe, the seasoned mentor tells him that he speaks and acts like an addict, even though there’s no sign that Ruben is about to use drugs. His new, difficult situation evokes a kind of restlessness in him that’s comparable to the cravings of addiction.

In his impressive debut, Darius Marder sensitively portrays the deaf community, and at times this sensitivity even turns into affection as we watch Ruben gradually deepen his relationships with its members. We admire the teachers and caregivers who, without a hint of resentment, dedicate their time to their charges, treating them like family and guiding them through the challenges of being deaf in a fast-paced world. At the same time, Marder empathetically presents Ruben’s inner conflict – torn between the environment and situation he’s starting to understand and his old life, which he sees as his only true path to fulfillment. And although at first, it seems like the romantic subplot in “Sound of Metal” will play a major role, in the end, it’s not love that saves Ruben, but his own inner peace, which he finds at the most unexpected moment.

“Sound of Metal” has all the qualities of a “sleeper hit” – an unassuming, intimate film with a powerful impact. It’s also a movie that resonates with our current times, portraying a character full of doubt, uncertainty, and someone trying to piece together a new reality. It seems like, in one way or another, we’re all trying to do the same thing right now.