With the Oscar buzz crescendoing to a high note last weekend, I thought it would be a good idea to look at some of the best picture nominations. The first movie that I will take a look at is The Sound of Metal
Directed by Darius Marder, The Sound of Metal was released on Amazon Prime Video in December of 2020. One of the various films released on streaming services because of the COVID-19 pandemic, The Sound of Metal is still available to watch at any time.
This primarily follows the life of metal drummer Reuben (Riz Ahmed). While Reuben and his longtime girlfriend Lou (Olivia Cooke) are on tour performing nightly shows, Reuben starts to lose his hearing. After a brief period of panic and searching for medical answers, Reuben eventually is convinced to visit a deaf community led by an older gentleman named Joe (Paul Raci). Throughout the course of the story, Reuben struggles with the internal debate of obtaining surgery to correct his hearing or accept his new fate as a deaf man.
As the synopsis of the film may indicate, The Sound of Metal is truly a character study. Riz Ahmed does a fantastic job carrying the weight of this film, and its 2 hour and 10 minute runtime does not seem to have any wasted moments. Ahmed shares the screen with an incredible supporting cast and it’s no surprise to see this film to earn one of the Best Picture nominations.
What perhaps is most engaging about the film aside from the fantastic performances is the heart behind the story. Reuben’s character arc is truly something to watch as the movie progresses. With the help of Joe and his girlfriend Lou, Reuben transforms from a hard-edged metal drummer to a soft, caring person.
Not only that, but the audience can clearly see the internal struggle that Reuben is dealing with throughout the film. Reuben is constantly having to ask himself whether he should accept who he has become or if he should try and save the little hearing that he has left to continue to pursue his dream of being a professional drummer.
In the end, The Sound of Metal is truly a perfect concoction of wonderful storytelling, fantastic acting performances, and beautiful directing. If you are searching for a stress-break during finals week, I highly recommend viewing The Sound of Metal on Amazon Prime as soon as possible.
5 out of 5 stars.