← Back to Reviews
in
I don't know what I expected from a film like this, but it felt more personal and introspective than I anticipated. There is a calmness to this film, which is ironic because it's about a drug-addicted metal drummer having to deal with the fact that he's losing his hearing. The surprise at the stillness of everything was a welcomed one and it made me appreciate the attention to detail present in the filmmaking style.
Ruben is the drummer for a two-person metal band. The singer is his girlfriend and they travel via RV to different cities to play their music. It's not a glamourous life, but one that suits them. One day Ruben's hearing suddenly diminishes, to the point where he can't even hear someone talking to him face to face. He finds help ina deaf community that teaches people how to live their lives with the loss of their hearing. The one issue is that his girlfriend, Lou, cannot be anywhere near them. She takes a flight back home and Ruben is now stranded and needing to learn how to re-live his life.
There's a film titled It's All Gone Pete Tong, which deals with a DJ who loses his ability to hear. He then learns how to DJ through vibrations by sticking speakers under his feet. The film was a comedy with an underlining sense of earnestness. Sound of Metal has no funny bits to it. The content is serious and handled in that manner. One of the creative aspects infused with the film is that while Ruben is learning sign language, the language is subtitled. It's broken subtitles at first, but as he progresses through, it becomes clearer. The sound design is something to take note of. Multiple times we are thrust into Ruben's world and we hear exactly what he does. Muffled voices, low pinging, stuff that would drive you nuts, stuff that would make you appreciate your ability to hear. Late in the film, Ruben makes a decision that is difficult for him, morally and financially. The results are less than what was expected. It's heartbreaking to see the disappointment on someone's face when they were hoping for something more and got less.
A stellar performance from Riz Ahmed showcasing the frustration it takes on the mind and body. He learned how to sign ASL and play the drums. Small things that sell the performance more.
The Sound of Metal
I don't know what I expected from a film like this, but it felt more personal and introspective than I anticipated. There is a calmness to this film, which is ironic because it's about a drug-addicted metal drummer having to deal with the fact that he's losing his hearing. The surprise at the stillness of everything was a welcomed one and it made me appreciate the attention to detail present in the filmmaking style.
Ruben is the drummer for a two-person metal band. The singer is his girlfriend and they travel via RV to different cities to play their music. It's not a glamourous life, but one that suits them. One day Ruben's hearing suddenly diminishes, to the point where he can't even hear someone talking to him face to face. He finds help ina deaf community that teaches people how to live their lives with the loss of their hearing. The one issue is that his girlfriend, Lou, cannot be anywhere near them. She takes a flight back home and Ruben is now stranded and needing to learn how to re-live his life.
There's a film titled It's All Gone Pete Tong, which deals with a DJ who loses his ability to hear. He then learns how to DJ through vibrations by sticking speakers under his feet. The film was a comedy with an underlining sense of earnestness. Sound of Metal has no funny bits to it. The content is serious and handled in that manner. One of the creative aspects infused with the film is that while Ruben is learning sign language, the language is subtitled. It's broken subtitles at first, but as he progresses through, it becomes clearer. The sound design is something to take note of. Multiple times we are thrust into Ruben's world and we hear exactly what he does. Muffled voices, low pinging, stuff that would drive you nuts, stuff that would make you appreciate your ability to hear. Late in the film, Ruben makes a decision that is difficult for him, morally and financially. The results are less than what was expected. It's heartbreaking to see the disappointment on someone's face when they were hoping for something more and got less.
A stellar performance from Riz Ahmed showcasing the frustration it takes on the mind and body. He learned how to sign ASL and play the drums. Small things that sell the performance more.