Sound of Metal movie review

It is not every time that we get to see the world through the ears of the deaf members of our society. Sound of metal follows the story of Ruben Stone (Riz Ahmed) and his girlfriend Louise (Olivia Cooke) coming to terms with Ruben’s deafness. They’re are both members of a heavy metal band, Ruben plays the drums while Louise sings. They were touring the USA when hell breaks loose, Ruben begins to lose his hearing.

The movie started out as a pity ride for me (like we humans always do when we don’t understand much about medical conditions), it later panned out to be a wholesome journey I was glad I heard and felt it through Ahmed Riz’s performance, all of his hopelessness, frustration, anger was well channeled and felt. The insight offered into the deaf world from this movie makes sure to make the statement that deafness wasn’t a disability, I’m beginning to see it as a whole new world that needs to be included with other members of the society. It is not every time I get lost watching a movie, The sound of metal succeeded in aligning me with its vision. 

Different themes were touched throughout the movie ranging from leadership, change, family, trauma, and many more. After Ruben started coming to terms with his deafness, he was set up with Joe (Paul Raci) who was in charge of a community for deaf people. Joe sets Ruben on a new path that helped him ease into the deaf world, however Joe had to send Ruben packing after he had undergone an implant surgery, the surgery painted deafness as a disability and Joe wouldn’t have that. It created a dilemma in which he had to choose to protect those who had been placed in his care despite his liking to Ruben and what he now symbolized for people in the community especially the kids. The kids helped me see the normalcy with which they lived their lives, I had always assumed life as a deaf person would be very much of a pity party, watching Ruben roll with the kids really made me see them in a different light. 

We also come to learn about Louise and the trauma that lingered over her and how damaging it was for her, dealing with her mother’s loss was very overwhelming for her. We also get to see the role Ruben played at this point in her life, Ruben himself being an former heroin addict. The movie brings to mind questions around our stay in people’s life and moving on. Ruben gets the implant hoping his hearing would get back to what it was before he started losing his hearing, the doctor basically tells him to adjust to his new life.

Much more than deafness, the movie actually anchors on change and all the many changes that accompanies THE CHANGE. Ruben got the implant hoping to reconnect with Lou so they continue with whatever and wherever they left off, however he realizes that his life had changed and just like his life, he also had to change. My moment of bliss in the movie was when he took the implants off in the last scene, I was happy he realized that his life had changed. 

At this point in the year when most people are still easing to the changes covid-19 had caused them, this is a movie that helps one understand what change and adjustment could be like.