---
title: "Sound of Metal"
year: 2020
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/sound-of-metal"
fi1m_id: "sound-of-metal"
imdb_id: "tt5363618"
tmdb_id: 502033
wikidata_id: "Q65158549"
fi1m_score: 84
critics_score: 79
critics_reviews: 31
published: "2026-09-20"
review_updated: "2026-10-03"
updated: "2026-10-03T01:39:54.842097+00:00"
region: "UA"
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 · Drama, Music

## Identity

Sound of Metal

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/sound-of-metal
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** sound-of-metal
- **IMDb ID:** tt5363618
- **TMDB ID:** 502033
- **Wikidata ID:** Q65158549
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5363618/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/502033, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q65158549

**Fi1m score: 84** · Critics 79 from 31 reviews

*In a sentence:* Riz Ahmed makes sitting still look harder than playing the drums

> Riz Ahmed makes a drummer’s hearing loss frighteningly immediate, while Darius Marder gives the surrounding Deaf community space to live. The sound is exceptional; the script sometimes pushes its lesson harder than the performances need.

## Synopsis

Heavy metal drummer Ruben Stone (Riz Ahmed) begins losing his hearing, and the music he depends on becomes difficult to make out. He wants to keep playing, but the extent of the loss forces him to consider a life he has not prepared for. Lou (Olivia Cooke) and Joe (Paul Raci) are drawn into an upheaval made more dangerous by his experience of addiction. Encounters with a Deaf community introduce conversations in sign language and people whose daily lives do not depend on getting his hearing back.

## Review

*Sound of Metal* is a moving, carefully made drama, with a lead performance more persuasive than some of the writing around it. Darius Marder follows a heavy metal drummer losing his hearing, watching the panic of someone whose working life has suddenly become uncertain. Ruben Stone, played by Riz Ahmed, has trouble enough imagining how to get through the next conversation. Asking him to reconsider the rest of his life is a considerable demand.

The sound makes that demand immediate: familiar noise becomes muffled, and listening takes effort rather than happening unnoticed. We felt frightened by how quickly the music became difficult to make out, because the change left us sharing Ruben’s uncertainty about what he could still hear. These passages do more than announce that something is wrong. They make a simple exchange hard to follow without suggesting that our few minutes of disorientation amount to knowing what every deaf person experiences.

Riz Ahmed lets Ruben’s panic show through the effort to contain it, and his restlessness keeps even the quieter stretches tense. Daniël Bouquet’s close-ups let us study that effort without a succession of grand breakdowns. Mikkel E.G. Nielsen leaves room in the edit for that discomfort to grow, although some passages linger after we have understood the feeling. Even when Ruben is hard to like, his need to do something about his situation remains painfully easy to understand.

The scenes within the Deaf community are especially valuable because other people have conversations and concerns beyond Ruben’s distress. Exchanges in sign language require him, and us, to pay attention differently. Jeremy Woodward’s production design keeps those surroundings ordinary and credible, without turning them into a conspicuously welcoming retreat. Paul Raci, as Joe, brings a steadiness that does not feel soft or obliging. His performance gives the film room to consider a life Ruben cannot yet imagine wanting.

Abraham Marder and Nicolas Becker’s music works best when it leaves the unease unresolved. In a drama about a musician, it would be easy to make every feeling arrive on a cue. Here the altered sounds carry much of the distress, and the music has the sense not to insist on telling us what to feel. The live performance passages give Ruben’s attachment to playing a physical force that dialogue alone would struggle to supply.

The screenplay, by Darius Marder and Abraham Marder, is less sure when it presses the case for acceptance. There are moments when Ruben’s desperation seems to be waiting for the film to correct it, and the community risks being reduced to a source of good advice. Addiction adds weight to his fear of change, but the writing sometimes makes that connection too neatly. The later plotting is also more conspicuous than the patient observation that precedes it; we can feel the story being steered when the performances have already made its concerns clear.

These reservations matter because the film is otherwise so good at letting us watch someone struggle without instructing us how to judge him. We recommend it warmly, but it needs an evening when there is some concentration left to spare. Watch somewhere quiet, with the phone out of reach.

*Fi1m score 84, published 20 September 2026.*

## What the critics say

Most critics respond warmly to Sound of Metal, with praise concentrated on Riz Ahmed’s restless, vulnerable performance and the sound design’s disorientating treatment of hearing loss. The reviews repeatedly credit Darius Marder with an empathetic, unsentimental approach to deafness, addiction and community. Many find that the muffled sound and use of captions bring viewers close to the drummer’s experience, while the portrayal of the Deaf community earns praise for its care and specificity.

Reservations centre on the writing, with some otherwise favourable reviews finding the later developments contrived or too driven by plot. The AV Club finds that the realism sometimes slows the story, while The Times considers the surrounding film middling despite Ahmed and the technical craft. The spread is wide but heavily positive: Variety offers the sharpest dissent, finding the drama slow, the character’s inner life underdeveloped and the emphasis on acceptance too prescriptive.

## Straight answers

**Is Sound of Metal worth watching?**

*Sound of Metal* is worth watching for Riz Ahmed’s tense, moving performance and the disorientating sound that makes a drummer’s hearing loss immediate; we score it 84. We recommend it warmly to viewers who enjoy patient, closely observed drama, though the script sometimes presses its lesson about acceptance harder than it needs to. Give it a quiet evening and your concentration.

**How long is Sound of Metal, and what is it rated?**

*Sound of Metal* runs 2h 01m. It is a drama and music film.

**Where can I watch Sound of Metal in Ukraine?**

*Sound of Metal* is streaming on Amazon Prime Video in Ukraine, and it is also available to rent from Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV from ₴0.99. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service.

**How violent or frightening is Sound of Metal, and is it suitable for children?**

*Sound of Metal* has a UK 15 certificate and is unsuitable for children under 15; its hearing-loss scenes can be frighteningly disorientating. We felt frightened when familiar music became difficult to make out, sharing Ruben’s uncertainty about what he could still hear. His experience of addiction adds adult emotional weight, making this a demanding drama for older teenagers and adults.

**How does Sound of Metal compare to A Silent Voice: The Movie?**

*Sound of Metal* offers a more immediate experience of hearing loss, while [*A Silent Voice: The Movie*](https://film.one/film/a-silent-voice-the-movie) focuses on a school bully’s remorse and adolescent behaviour. We recommend both: choose the former for Ahmed’s performance and unsettling sound, or the Japanese animation for its tenderness. The former sometimes overstates its lesson; the latter requires patience with an overcrowded middle.

**What should I watch after Sound of Metal?**

After *Sound of Metal*, try [*A Silent Voice*](https://film.one/film/a-silent-voice-the-movie) (2016, Fi1m 80): A Japanese animation that takes deafness, shame and the difficulty of listening seriously. Then [*The Piano*](https://film.one/film/the-piano) (1993, Fi1m 88): Music and touch carry feelings that speech cannot safely accommodate; and [*Children of a Lesser God*](https://film.one/film/children-of-a-lesser-god) (1986, Fi1m 66): A more conventional romance, with a similarly thorny argument about hearing and autonomy.

### Reviews we read (31)

- **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 AV Club**, Katie Rife (B): Rife finds the film empathetic and immersive, though its realism sometimes slows the story and leaves it unsure of its narrative direction. She especially praises Riz Ahmed’s nuanced performance, which keeps the film compelling when the script loses its footing. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/riz-ahmed-s-superb-lead-performance-keeps-sound-of-meta-1845703809)
- **Slant Magazine**, Derek Smith (3/4): The review finds the film tender and attentive to the pull of the past, while valuing its emphasis on stillness. It praises Riz Ahmed’s restless performance and the intricate sound design that conveys Ruben’s disorientation. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/sound-of-metal-review-riz-ahmed/)
- **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)
- **Screen Daily**, Wendy Ide (70/100, inferred): The critic presents the film as a striking debut. The accessible text identifies Riz Ahmed and Olivia Cooke as stars but offers no further detail about what the review singles out. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/sound-of-metal-toronto-review/5142840.article)
- **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/)
- **HeyUGuys**, Sarah Cook (90/100, inferred): Cook gives the film an enthusiastic verdict, calling it an exquisite and poignant experience. She particularly praises its immersive sound design and Riz Ahmed’s performance. [Read](https://www.heyuguys.com/sound-of-metal-review/)
- **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/)
- **Eye for Film**, Jennie Kermode (85/100, inferred): Kermode calls it a thoughtful, intelligent film and says it is something special. She particularly praises Riz Ahmed’s complex, quiet performance and the immersive sound design. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/sound-of-metal-2019-film-review-by-jennie-kermode)
- **Paste**, Joi Childs (8.5/10): Childs finds the film captivating and says it sticks the landing. She singles out its immersive sound design and Ahmed’s performance, while praising its respectful portrayal of the deaf community. [Read](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/sound-of-metal/sound-of-metal-review)
- **/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/)
- **The Playlist** (65/100, inferred): The page is identified as a TIFF review, but its verdict is unavailable because the content is blocked. The page provides no accessible details about what the critic praised or criticized. [Read](https://theplaylist.net/sound-of-metal-riz-ahmed-tiff-review-20190907/)

## Details

- **Director:** Darius Marder
- **Director:** Darius Marder
- **Screenplay:** Abraham Marder, Darius 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:** Bill Benz, Kathy 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
- **First release (Canada):** 6 September 2019
- **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 Ukraine

- Amazon Prime Video: streaming, uhd
- Amazon Prime Video: rent ₴0.99, hd
- Apple TV: rent ₴3.99, hd
- Amazon Prime Video: buy ₴3.99, hd
- Apple TV: buy ₴4.99, sd

*Checked 2026-10-03.*

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 Rider* (2017): Another physical performer must consider who he is when work becomes impossible.
- *A Silent Voice* (2016), Fi1m 80: A Japanese animation that takes deafness, shame and the difficulty of listening seriously. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/a-silent-voice-the-movie.md)
- *The Piano* (1993), Fi1m 88: Music and touch carry feelings that speech cannot safely accommodate. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-piano.md)
- *Children of a Lesser God* (1986), Fi1m 66: A more conventional romance, with a similarly thorny argument about hearing and autonomy. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/children-of-a-lesser-god.md)
- *The Beat That My Heart Skipped* (2005): A restless musician finds that changing his life requires more than talent.

---
© 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