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Sound of Metal
2020 121 min United States of America R 18+
★8.4
Drama, Music
Director: Darius Marder
Trailers
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Teaser
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Description
Metal drummer Ruben begins to lose his hearing. When a doctor tells him his condition will worsen, he thinks his career and life is over. His girlfriend Lou checks the former addict into a rehab for the deaf hoping it will prevent a relapse and help him adapt to his new life. After being welcomed and accepted just as he is, Ruben must choose between his new normal and the life he once knew.
Worldwide:
$516,520
Starring
Riz Ahmed
Actor
Olivia Cooke
Actor
Paul Raci
Actor
Awards
BAFTA 2021
— Best Film Editing
Academy Awards 2021
— Best Film Editing
BAFTA 2021
— Best Sound
Academy Awards 2021
— Best Actor
Academy Awards 2021
— Best Supporting Actor
BAFTA 2021
— Best Supporting Actor
Screen Actors Guild Awards 2021
— Best Actor
Academy Awards 2021
— Best Screenplay
Academy Awards 2021
— Best Film Editing
Academy Awards 2021
— Best Picture
BAFTA 2021
— Best Sound
Academy Awards 2021
— Best Sound
Key opinion
Sound of Metal is widely lauded as a visceral, authentic exploration of sudden deafness and personal transformation. While the technical sound design and Riz Ahmed's powerhouse performance receive near-unanimous acclaim, the film's pacing and narrative structure divide opinion.
| Acting | Riz Ahmed delivers a raw, career-defining performance that captures the protagonist's complex struggle with loss and recovery. | |
| Score | Innovative sound design creates an immersive, tactile experience that effectively places the viewer inside the protagonist's shifting auditory reality. | |
| Direction | Darius Marder’s documentary-inspired direction avoids Hollywood melodrama, grounding the film in an authentic and intimate atmosphere. | |
| Pacing | The film’s slow, contemplative pacing satisfies those who appreciate the meditative character journey, while others find it tedious or structurally uneven in its later acts. |