Synopsis
“Sound of Metal,” directed by Darius Marder, was released in 2020. The film tells the story of Ruben (Riz Ahmed), a heavy metal drummer who suffers from unexpected and severe hearing loss. As he struggles to accept his condition and the prospect of a life without music, he seeks help from a deaf and hard-of-hearing support group. He meets and begins to learn from Joe (Paul Raci), a recovered drug user and community member who can assist him in adjusting to his new world.
The film focuses on Ruben’s emotional journey as he deals with the loss of his hearing, the sense of identity he finds in music, and how he adjusts to his new reality. Along the way, he is dealing with the pressure in his relationship with his girlfriend (Olivia Cooke) and bandmate. Identity, community, and the strength of human connection are also explored in the film. Sound of Metal garnered strong accolades from critics and viewers alike, winning multiple awards and nominations, including the Academy Award for Best Sound.
Interpretation
Rubens’s entire life gets turned upside down when he loses the ability to hear. He has no choice, but to stop drumming, even though it’s the only thing that can pay for his implants, the most important thing is to get his mind wrapped around the idea of being deaf. This brings him on a journey of how to experience life through this new lens.
In this new world, he learns to navigate without a key part of his identity (being a drummer). And even though he can’t hear his surrounding he’s still distracted. Ruben is unable to be still. He keeps trying to find a new way so that life doesn’t pass him but that’s not where the true value is. The value is in his ability to be in the moment, present, and still. To really take in the world instead of just living in it.
