By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 4.5 cats | 5 cats
Director: Darius Marder
Starring: Mathieu Amalric | Olivia Cooke | Paul Raci | Riz Ahmed
Country: belgium, united_states
Year: 2020
Running time: 120
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5363618/reference
Michael says: “I have taken to watching films without really finding out too much about them first. Usually it’s one or two sentences from the synopsis, and I’ll make up my mind. SOUND OF METAL came as a big surprise, as I started the film believing it to be a documentary about a heavy metal drummer who gets tinnitus. When I began the film, I learned that it was a narrative feature and it took me a few minutes to make the mental adjustment. The central character was indeed a drummer, one half of a punk duo, and it wasn’t just tinnitus, as the film opens, Ruben must deal with the fact that he is losing his hearing completely. At first he tries to ignore it. He and his girlfriend and musical partner, Lou, have their lives planned out, including a concert tour and an album to record. He doesn’t want to let her down, in fact their relationship seems to have a desperation swirling around it, and the two seem to share a need to be together. We learn that Ruben is an addict, five years clean, and he owes his life to Lou. Still, he agrees to join a deaf community to learn what it means to accept the silence and build a new life, even though it means separating for the time being from Lou. Over time he does manage to become an accepted part of the community and find fulfillment himself, but deep inside, his goal is still to find the money to get implants to regain his hearing so he can go back on the road with Lou.
“Apparently Riz Ahmed is a bit of a big deal (he starred in a recent Star Wars movie?) And while I had heard his name before, I certainly didn’t recognize him as Ruben and was mightily impressed by his performance. His physical presence, the tattooed, punk-rock drummer, tightly coiled and surrounded by urgency, it’s difficult to imagine that he would ever be able to attain the stillness that his mentor is trying to help him find. Olivia Cooke (who I just now found out was the star of LITTLE FISH — another of the films that I saw in the Fall Focus and will review below) plays Lou perfectly, clearly in love with Ruben, but with some sort of past we don’t learn about until the final quarter of the film. Surprise appearance from French actor Mathieu Amalric, who has appeared in many great films, as Lou’s estranged father. For his first, narrative feature, I was mightily impressed by both the writing a directing from Darius Marder. The evolution of Ruben’s character does not come easily or quickly, but it’s a powerful journey, well-articulated, made all the more real by the path it takes. 5 cats”
Bob says: “An absolutely amazing performance by Riz Ahmed as a recovering addict who was saved by going all in on his work as a heavy metal drummer and the relationship he has with the woman he makes music with. When he begins to rapidly lose his hearing, he views it as losing everything.
“Some people might find the way the film makes the audience hear what and how the protagonist hears as a bit of a gimmick, but it’s not overused and I think it works.”
Chris says: “One of the best movies about addiction, anchored by a terrific, immersive performance. 5 cats”
Diane says: “I knew SOUND OF METAL would be my favorite movie! The less you know about the plot, the better, so I won’t say anything about that. But it does feature some North of Boston locations! Noms for picture, screenplay, actor at least. 5 cats”
Brett says: “The foundation for a highly thematic punch is here, but this is a film that has been underwritten in a lot a ways. But first off, credit needs to be given to supporting cast member Paul Raci as the adhesive that makes the dramatic parts that work for this film stick. Director Darius Marder and team can also be given credit for a very unique audio experience. In fact, that is far and away the film’s best component: sound design.
“For many, the opportunity to experience audibly what Ruben, the main character, experiences is going to be enough to excuse the rough-around-the-edges remainder. However, the message that deafness is not a disease is one that’s been clearly conveyed in film, print, and mass media plenty of times, so it is ironic when the lead characters are emphatic about not being religious, yet these are the same mediums used to shout the premise of the film to a congregation from a pulpit that has delivered this same message clearly and more effectively in other ‘sermons’ as if the audience is too oblivious to know anything about the subject matter until now.
“The topic is important, and as such, it makes the two hours forgivable enough to remain engaged. The subject matter itself even had me trying to find ways to forgive the film for its missteps. The execution of story is just not always on that same plane as the topic itself.
“The point of no return in is the dramatic revelation Ruben faces in getting a miracle doctor’s appointment on the same day he needs to diagnose his hearing loss. Not seconds after a doctor tells him he has 26 percent in each ear—at best—and we are told it’s not coming back, we are time lapsed to the evening’s show where Ruben feels he must persevere. But following a runout after the final strike of the drum for the music set, partner Lou finds out for the first time that he cannot hear. The couple does not communicate for hours before a show starts, during setup and sound checks, backstage before going on to perform, nothing. I understand that this is a generation that keeps their eyes locked on their mobile devices at all costs over communicating face to face, but to have a whole exposition devoted to lovers who are constantly vibing with each other wrecked by this difficult suspension of disbelief is far too lazy in the writing and screenplay supervision department.
“Continuing through the plot, Ruben’s tunnel vision in getting his hearing back is a proper driving force for the film’s eventual payoff, but again, the waters are muddied when the film supposes it’s totally within the bounds of reason that no one at any phase of his loss of hearing has bothered to explain to him that implants would not be a replacement for the sounds he once heard. Only as the tests are run during the final phases, we are led to believe that it is appropriate that this is the first time anyone has ever explained that the brain is phantom imposing its will on the person to think that the person is hearing. One could argue that they did do that for him before that particular point in the film, but it’s clear from the narration of the medical technician that the director is praying for this ‘tropey’ reveal to illicit a few gasps from audience members giving permission to be duped at this point in the story.
“This a film with a premise that needs more legs than it’s given. Solid in production, there is just too much that the director relies upon the audience to overlook and forgive the film for from a story perspective. A fluffy 3 cats out of 5″