Sound of Metal

Starring: Riz Ahmed, Olivia Cooke, Paul Raci, Mathieu Amalric, Lauren Ridloff
Directed by: Darius Marder
Rating: R
Genre: Drama, Music
2020

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: A drummer (Riz Ahmed) has his life shattered when he rapidly begins to go deaf.

Review:

Tim: I thoroughly enjoyed the memorable Sound of Metal. It's an impressive sophomore directorial effort by Darius Marder and I struggled mightily with whether this was a great movie or not. I ultimately slid it in right under that mark, but that takes nothing away from this thoroughly effective film. It poignantly tells the story of a musician who loses his hearing, which upends his entire life. It's a movie well worth seeing.

One of the more impressive aspects of this film are the moments when we are able to hear what the main character experiences with his hearing loss. The sound in this film is remarkable and it wouldn't surprise me if the film took home an Academy Award for that effort. It's an important part of this movie. I do have to say that I don't think Marder quite leveraged this enough. There was an opportunity to really immerse ourselves into this experience. I wish Marder used sound (or lack thereof) even more than he did. It could have really accentuated the story he was trying to tell. I felt like this was a missed opportunity. So, while it was definitely a strength of the film, that was also a reason why I felt like it didn't quite get to a level of greatness.

The story was effective. Marder introduces us to these characters and then we see how their lives are changed by the hearing loss of the main character, Ruben. It was told effectively enough that you really questioned what it would mean to lose something that we all take for granted. Certainly, it impacts your livelihood, but it destroys so much of the foundations upon which your life is based. You have to break it all down, learn to communicate again from the very beginning. We see this struggle unfold on the screen. While Marder never quite squeezes all of the effectiveness out of the story that he could, it's still quite entertaining. I liked the characters and the story, but neither grabbed me like the very best movies do. Still, it's a memorable journey and one that I was engaged in.

Riz Ahmed gives a tremendous performance. It wouldn't surprise me if he was recognize with a nomination for Best Actor. It's a raw, powerful performance. So much of the film and the emotion comes from him. It's a career defining performance. I loved how he embodied this character and conveyed the ups and downs of his struggle. It's perhaps the best performance I have seen in 2020. Olivia Cooke was fine. I'm not convinced she's a great actress. While I've enjoyed some of her performances, I've never been truly impressed. That same thing happened here. She's good, but limited. I did think Paul Raci was fantastic and should be nominated for Best Supporting Actor. His performance felt so authentic, so subtly powerful, he leaves a lasting impression. On screen, you almost can't take your eyes off his character. It really was an excellent performance.

I know I've been hedging a bit in this review, partially to help me think through my final rating of the movie. It's films like Sound of Metal that make me feel like the ratings are unnecessary. Sure, I might not quite think this film is "great", but it's a must-see movie from 2020. It has so many strengths, so many terrific elements. It's a movie that will stay with you long after the credits roll. It's a unique film, an unexpected one. I truly enjoyed this movie.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7.5



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Me, Earl, and the Dying Girl; Nightcrawler, The Sisters Brothers