---
title: "Sound of Metal"
year: 2020
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/sound-of-metal"
fi1m_score: 81
critics_score: 79
critics_reviews: 24
published: "2026-09-20T08:08:09.935533+00:00"
updated: "2026-09-20T08:08:19.041149+00:00"
region: "US"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Sound of Metal (2020)

Directed by Darius Marder · 2h 01m · MPA R · Drama, Music

**Fi1m score: 81** · Critics 79 from 24 reviews

*In a sentence:* The loudest man alive is told to sit still, and it’s the sitting still that nearly kills him

> Darius Marder’s first feature puts us inside the head of a drummer going deaf, and for eighty minutes the sound alone would justify your evening. Riz Ahmed is remarkable; the last stretch turns to plot and is not up to what came before.

## Synopsis

Ruben Stone (Riz Ahmed) plays drums in a two-piece band with his girlfriend Lou (Olivia Cooke), who sings. They live and tour in an Airstream, and Ruben has been off heroin for four years. One morning the sound in his ears drops to a hum. A pharmacist (Michael Tow) sends him to a specialist, who tells him most of his hearing is gone and the rest will follow; implants might help, at a price he cannot pay. Lou, afraid of what he will do, finds him a place at a rural sober house for Deaf people run by Joe (Paul Raci), who lost his hearing in Vietnam. Joe’s terms: Ruben stays, Lou leaves, and he starts learning sign language from Diane (Lauren Ridloff) in a classroom of children.

## Review

Ruben Stone (Riz Ahmed) plays drums in a two-piece band with his girlfriend Lou (Olivia Cooke), and the film opens on a gig: she screams, he hits things, the room is a wall of noise. They tour in a caravan, make smoothies, do press-ups. Ruben has been clean for four years. Then one morning, with almost no warning, his hearing goes. Darius Marder, directing his first feature from a script written with Abraham Marder and a story shared with Derek Cianfrance, has one large idea, which is to put us in Ruben’s ears for as much of the next two hours as he can bear to. It is a good idea and he sees it through.

The music credit is shared by Nicolas Becker and Abraham Marder, and there is very little you would call a score. What there is instead is Ruben’s hearing. When the film sits inside his head, voices arrive as if through a bedroom wall, a high thin ring sits over everything, and a dropped pan lands as a dull thump. When it steps out, we get the world as Lou hears it. Mikkel E.G. Nielsen cuts between the two so cleanly that we are never confused about whose ears we are using. The scene in the pharmacy, where Ruben stands at a counter trying to read the face of a pharmacist (Michael Tow) who is talking at him, made us panic in a way films rarely manage. We caught ourselves leaning forward, as though we could hear for him.

Ahmed carries it. He has bleached his hair and he holds his body like a man waiting to be hit, and for the first half hour he barely stops moving. The performance is in what happens when he has to. Watch him in the audiologist’s office being told how much is gone, doing sums about implants and money, saying he is fine. He is not fine, and Ahmed lets us watch him decide to say it anyway. Cooke has less to do, but the early scenes of the two of them in the caravan, brushing teeth, dancing to a record, are tender enough that the whole film rests on them.

Lou, frightened of what he might do, finds him a place at a rural sober house for Deaf people run by Joe (Paul Raci), a recovering alcoholic who lost his hearing in Vietnam. Joe’s terms are that Ruben stays and Lou goes. Raci is the film’s second great asset: dry, patient, unmoved by charm, with a way of pausing before he signs that makes every sentence land. Jeremy Woodward’s production design gives the house scuffed wooden floors and a kitchen everyone eats in, and Daniël Bouquet shoots it in flat morning light with the camera close on faces, because faces are what Ruben now has to read. Megan Stark Evans keeps everyone in worn flannel and work trousers; nobody here is dressing for anyone.

What moved us most was small. Ruben is sent to sit in on Diane’s (Lauren Ridloff) class of Deaf children, useless and fidgeting, and ends up outside with one boy, Michael (Domenico Toledo), the two of them tapping on a metal slide and feeling the rhythm come back through the steel. Nobody explains it. The film’s other good decision is to caption everything, so that when a conversation in sign is left untranslated, we are as far outside it as Ruben is.

Then it starts to move people around. Joe’s view, that deafness is not a thing to be fixed, is a real position and the film holds it sincerely, but it holds it so hard that Ruben’s wish to get his old life back is never argued as well as Joe’s calm is. Mathieu Amalric turns up late in a part we will not describe, and the last forty minutes become a film about where Ruben goes and who he talks to, when the first eighty were a film about what he could hear. Most critics have forgiven this, and so, mostly, have we. It remains the weakest stretch, and it is not short.

For a first feature it is unusually sure about its one idea and sensibly modest about everything else. There is no relapse set piece, no shouting match in the rain, and the addiction is treated as something Ruben lives with rather than something the plot needs. It runs 121 minutes and carries a 15 certificate, mostly for language. See it with the volume up and the house quiet.

*Fi1m score 81, published 20 September 2026.*

### Reviews we read (24)

- **IndieWire**, Eric Kohn (90/100, inferred): Riz Ahmed gives a brilliant performance as a heavy metal drummer who goes deaf. The debut feature impresses with its sound design and sensitive handling of the story. [Read](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/sound-of-metal-review-riz-ahmed-tiff-1202171828/)
- **Sight and Sound** (90/100, inferred): Darius Marder’s debut is a deeply moving portrait of a man in freefall that soars above its issue-film format. The standout is Riz Ahmed’s magnificent performance as the tightly wound drummer learning to live with deafness. [Read](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/sound-metal-darius-marder-riz-ahmed-drummer-deafness)
- **The Guardian**, Mark Kermode (90/100, inferred): Riz Ahmed gives a career-best performance in an astonishing, realist drama rooted in reality and fully accessible. Marder conjures a world of verisimilitude through live performances, ASL debates and innovative sound design that captures the protagonist's experience. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2021/apr/11/sound-of-metal-review-riz-ahmed-olivia-cooke-darius-marder)
- **Empire**, Ian Freer (85/100, inferred): The critic highlights the film's gripping dramatic questions, imaginative sound design, and Riz Ahmed's stunning performance in this debut from Darius Marder. It is described as a powerful, sensitive exploration of deafness that challenges assumptions about hearing loss. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/sound-of-metal/)
- **Los Angeles Times**, Justin Chang (85/100, inferred): The critic calls it a bruising, deeply moving drama with a sensational Riz Ahmed performance and innovative sound design that enters the protagonist's consciousness. It praises the nuanced portrait of deafness, addiction, and acceptance in a Deaf community, noting its graceful handling of personal limits. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2020-11-19/sound-of-metal-review-riz-ahmed)
- **The Telegraph** (85/100, inferred): Riz Ahmed delivers a powerhouse performance in Darius Marder’s tale of addiction, loss and redemption. The film excels through its distinctive sound design that immerses viewers in the character’s dulled auditory world. [Read](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/sound-metal-review-drummer-going-deafriz-ahmed-makes-noise/)
- **Evening Standard**, Charlotte O'Sullivan (80/100, inferred): The critic calls Riz Ahmed mesmerising and praises the authentic music scenes, the magnetic performance of Paul Raci, and the film's ingenious use of sound design and captions. It endorses the story's philosophy while noting its emotional impact. [Read](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/sound-of-metal-review-riz-ahmed-b928430.html)
- **Little White Lies**, Hannah Strong (4/4/5): Riz Ahmed gives a career-best performance in this bold and brilliant debut that is devastating and hopeful in the same breath. The intricate sound design simulates the disorientating experience of hearing loss while highlighting everyday sounds often taken for granted. [Read](https://lwlies.com/reviews/sound-of-metal/)
- **Radio Times**, Beth Webb (4/5): Riz Ahmed delivers an intuitive, raw performance in this handsomely crafted study of addiction, community and self-discovery. Debut film-maker Darius Marder never strays into mawkishness and keeps the focus on Ahmed’s open, disarmingly vulnerable face. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-r3tifa/sound-of-metal/)
- **Time Out**, Phil de Semlyen (4/5): This searing drama features a mesmerising Riz Ahmed as a musician losing his hearing and his bearings. It is a raw, emotional and deeply empathetic film unafraid to leave its protagonist submerged in a world of muffled sounds. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/sound-of-metal-2021)
- **Total Film** (80/100, inferred): The review highlights the film as a gem with strong praise for its handling of the central story and performances. [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/sound-of-metal-review/)
- **The i Paper**, Christina Newland (75/100, inferred): The critic praises the original premise, Riz Ahmed's deeply embodied performance, and the innovative sound design that conveys hearing loss disorientation. It notes some narrative contrivances in the latter part but commends the film's empathetic and specific approach to disability. [Read](https://inews.co.uk/culture/film/sound-of-metal-review-riz-ahmed-excels-poignant-compelling-drama-reveiw-947069)
- **The Hollywood Reporter**, John DeFore (70/100, inferred): Riz Ahmed delivers a deeply felt performance as a drummer confronting sudden hearing loss. The film explores themes of acceptance and change without romanticizing deafness. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/sound-metal-1238063/)
- **The New York Times**, Jeannette Catsoulis (NYT Critic’s Pick): The critic praises the film's distinctive style and potent lead performance by Riz Ahmed, which builds tension between silence and noise. It highlights the intricate sound design that immerses viewers in the protagonist's experience while suggesting that acceptance of his condition is key to his salvation. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/19/movies/sound-of-metal-review.html)
- **Vulture**, Bilge Ebiri (70/100, inferred): Riz Ahmed's compelling performance anchors the film as a musician dealing with hearing loss and identity. The movie excels through its rich visual and sonic textures rather than conventional storytelling. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/article/movie-review-sound-of-metal-starring-riz-ahmed.html)
- **The Times**, Kevin Maher (★★★☆☆): Riz Ahmed shines as the drummer facing sudden deafness, carrying the project with outstanding close-ups. The surrounding film is at best middling despite technically impressive work and strong sound design. [Read](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/film/article/sound-of-metal-review-tf29kmqx9)
- **Variety**, Owen Gleiberman (40/100, inferred): The critic finds the premise potent but the drama muffled and slow, criticizing the lack of interior character development despite innovative sound design. It notes the film becomes doctrinaire in its portrayal of deafness and acceptance as the only valid path. [Read](https://variety.com/2019/film/reviews/sound-of-metal-review-riz-ahmed-1203337006/)
- **NME**, Leonie Cooper (5/5): The critic calls it the first truly great film of 2021, praising how it immerses viewers in the protagonist's experience of sudden hearing loss through innovative sound design and subtitles. They highlight the authentic casting, performances, and portrayal of community and acceptance as key strengths. [Read](https://www.nme.com/reviews/film-reviews/sound-of-metal-review-riz-ahmed-2917608)
- **Collider**, Matt Goldberg (A): The critic praises the film's unsentimental approach to loss, change, and acceptance of deafness rather than framing it as a disability to be fixed. They single out the innovative use of sound design, captions as an artistic choice, and Riz Ahmed's raw, vulnerable performance. [Read](https://collider.com/sound-of-metal-review/)
- **Consequence**, Clint Worthington (A-): The critic highlights the richly textured drama's focus on deafness, addiction, and grief, with strong sound design that immerses viewers in the protagonist's experience. They single out Riz Ahmed's intense, restless performance as the emotional core showing bargaining and eventual acceptance. [Read](https://consequence.net/2020/11/film-review-sound-of-metal/)
- **Deadline**, Pete Hammond (85/100, inferred): The film is a technical triumph and a humane character study of a man whose life unravels with hearing loss. Pete Hammond singles out Riz Ahmed's astonishing, career-best performance for its range and authenticity. [Read](https://deadline.com/video/sound-of-metal-review-riz-ahmed-darius-marder-amazon/)
- **/Film**, Chris Evangelista (8/10): The critic praises the film's immersive sound design and Riz Ahmed's powerhouse performance, which draws viewers into the protagonist's experience of hearing loss. They single out the realistic depiction of the deaf community for praise but complain about the weaker, plot-driven final act. [Read](https://www.slashfilm.com/568939/sound-of-metal-review/)
- **The Skinny**, Charlotte Little (4/5): The review describes the film as a visceral, immersive experience about community, acceptance, and stillness, following the drummer's emotional journey through hearing loss and recovery. It singles out the profound exploration of deafness, innovative sound design, authentic Deaf casting, and strong lead performances for praise. [Read](https://www.theskinny.co.uk/film/new-releases/sound-of-metal)
- **The Wrap** (80/100, inferred): A searing central performance smooths over some rough patches in the script. The critic singles out Riz Ahmed's riveting portrayal of the drummer's terror and self-pity for praise, along with the realistic sound design. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/sound-of-metal-review-riz-ahmed/)

## Details

- **Director:** Darius Marder
- **Director:** Darius Marder
- **Screenplay:** Darius Marder, Abraham Marder
- **Story:** Darius Marder, Derek Cianfrance
- **Cinematography:** Daniël Bouquet
- **Editor:** Mikkel E.G. Nielsen
- **Music:** Nicolas Becker, Abraham Marder
- **Production design:** Jeremy Woodward
- **Costume design:** Megan Stark Evans
- **Producer:** Kathy Benz, Bill Benz, Sacha Ben Harroche
- **Cast:** Riz Ahmed as Ruben Stone; Olivia Cooke as Lou; Paul Raci as Joe; Lauren Ridloff as Diane; Mathieu Amalric as Richard Berger; Domenico Toledo as Michael; Chelsea Lee as Jenn; Shaheem Sanchez as Shaheem
- **Runtime:** 2h 01m
- **Certificate (MPA):** R
- **Release (the US):** 20 November 2020
- **Genres:** Drama, Music
- **Also in:** [Best Picture winners](https://film.one/collections/oscar-best-picture.md) (Nominee, 2021)
- **Box office:** $516,520
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFOrGkAvjAE

## Where to watch in the US

- Amazon Prime Video: streaming, uhd
- Amazon Prime Video: free, uhd

*Checked 2026-09-20.*

Also available in: AE, AR, AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HK, HR, HU, ID, IE, IL, IN, IS, IT, JP, KR, LT, MX, MY, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PH, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SG, SI, TH, TR, UA, US, VN, ZA. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## Awards

- Academy Awards 2021: Best Picture (nominated)

## If you liked this

- *The Tribe* (2014): Ukrainian film entirely in sign, no subtitles; you are left outside, on purpose
- *Mogul Mowgli* (2020): Ahmed again, as a rapper whose body fails him mid-tour; angrier and stranger
- *The Diving Bell and the Butterfly* (2007), Fi1m 87: Amalric as a man locked inside himself; another film shot from behind the eyes — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-diving-bell-and-the-butterfly.md)
- *Children of a Lesser God* (1986), Fi1m 66: Marlee Matlin refuses to be fixed by a hearing man who thinks he knows better — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/children-of-a-lesser-god.md)
- *Blue Valentine* (2010), Fi1m 82: Cianfrance’s own film about a couple in a caravan-sized life coming apart — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/blue-valentine.md)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/sound-of-metal