# Sound of Metal

Sound of Metal is a 2019 American drama film directed and co-written by Darius Marder. It stars Riz Ahmed as a metal drummer who loses his hearing, and also features Olivia Cooke, Paul Raci, Lauren Ridloff, and Mathieu Amalric.
Sound of Metal had its world premiere in the Platform Prize program at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival on September 6, 2019. Amazon Studios released the film in theaters on November 20, 2020, and on Amazon Prime Video on December 4.
The film was critically acclaimed, with particular praise for the performances of Ahmed and Raci, the sound design, the editing, direction and screenplay. It was listed on 52 film critics' top-ten lists for 2020. At the 93rd Academy Awards, it was nominated for Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, Best Actor (Ahmed) and Best Supporting Actor (Raci), and won for Best Sound and Best Film Editing.

## Plot

The drummer Ruben Stone performs in the avant-garde metal duo Blackgammon with his singer girlfriend, Lou. They live in an RV and tour the United States performing gigs. When Ruben begins to lose his hearing, he goes to a pharmacy seeking a diagnosis. The pharmacist refers him to a doctor, who finds that Ruben has lost most of his hearing and that the rest will deteriorate rapidly. Although cochlear implants may benefit him, insurance does not cover the high cost. The doctor suggests that Ruben eliminate all exposure to loud noises and undergo further testing, but Ruben continues to perform.
Lou wants to stop performing for his safety, but Ruben wants to continue. She is also concerned about his sobriety, as he is a recovering drug addict. They call his sponsor, Hector, who finds a rural shelter for deaf recovering addicts run by a man named Joe, a recovering alcoholic who lost his hearing in the Vietnam War. Ruben leaves with Lou because they will not let her live there with him, and he wants only the implants. Anxious for his well-being, Lou leaves and persuades Ruben to return to the shelter.
Ruben meets the other members of the shelter, attends meetings, and settles into his new life. He is introduced to schoolteacher Diane and the children in her class and learns American Sign Language. Joe tasks Ruben with writing and sitting peacefully in an effort to make him comfortable with the silence. Ruben joins Diane's class and connects with the children and the rest of the community. He gives the children and Diane drumming lessons.
Joe invites Ruben to stay as an employee of the community. Ruben illicitly uses Joe's office computer to follow Lou's activities and learns she is performing music in Paris. He has his friend Jenn sell his drums and other music equipment, then he sells his RV, using the money for cochlear implant surgery. Ruben asks Joe to loan him money to buy back his RV while he awaits the activation of the implants. Joe refuses, saying that Ruben is behaving like an addict. He asks Ruben to leave the community, as it is founded on the belief that deafness is not a handicap.
Ruben has his implants activated but is disappointed by their distorted sound. He flies to Paris to meet Lou at the home of her wealthy father, Richard. Richard confides in Ruben that though he initially disliked him, he recognizes that Ruben made Lou happy. Lou has settled into her new lifestyle and has ceased self-harming. At a party, Lou and Richard perform a duet; Ruben's perception of the sound is distorted by the implants.
When Ruben tells Lou he wants to return to their music, she responds with interest but begins scratching her arms. Ruben tells her all is well and that she saved his life. She tells him that he saved hers too. The next morning, Ruben takes his things and leaves while Lou sleeps. In a park, the ringing of a church bell is distorted by his implants; Ruben removes his processors and sits in silence.

## Cast

* Riz Ahmed as Ruben Stone, a drummer who loses his hearing
* Olivia Cooke as Louise "Lou" Berger, Ruben's girlfriend
* Paul Raci as Joe, a late-deafened and recovering alcoholic who runs a shelter for deaf recovering addicts
* Lauren Ridloff as Diane, a teacher who helps Ruben learn American Sign Language
* Mathieu Amalric as Richard Berger, Lou's father
* Chris Perfetti as Harlan
* Michael Tow as the pharmacist

## Production

Sound of Metal is directed by Darius Marder, who wrote the story with Derek Cianfrance and who also wrote the screenplay with his brother Abraham Marder. The film originated as the unfinished Cianfrance project Metalhead, which centers on a metal drummer who suddenly becomes deaf. The film featured the members of the band Jucifer portraying themselves. However, the project was later scrapped, until Cianfrance's friend Darius Marder took it up. In January 2016, Dakota Johnson and Matthias Schoenaerts joined the cast of the film, with Marder directing. In July 2018, Riz Ahmed and Olivia Cooke joined the cast of the film, replacing Johnson and Schoenaerts, alongside Mathieu Amalric. Before the casting, Marder had spent 13 years vetting actors who would match his commitment to the film.
Many of the actors were recruited from the deaf community. For eight months, Ahmed prepared for the film by spending two hours a day learning American Sign Language, two hours a day in drum lessons, two hours a day with a personal trainer and the remainder with his acting coach. Marder wanted Ahmed to "trust his instincts" and did not allow him to review dailies of his performance or script analysis.
Sound of Metal was shot in 24 non-consecutive days from early to late 2018. Marder operated on a limited budget, and shot only two takes per scene. The film was shot in the Greater Boston area, primarily in Ipswich, Massachusetts. However, other scenes were shot in Boston, Lynn, Cambridge, Danvers, Framingham, Lawrence, Malden, Rowley, and Topsfield. Filming also took place in Antwerp, Belgium.

## Release

Sound of Metal had its world premiere in the Platform Prize program at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival on September 6, 2019. Nearly a week later, Amazon Studios acquired U.S. distribution rights to the film, which also interested Neon among others. It was originally scheduled to be released on August 14, 2020, before being postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was released theatrically on November 20, 2020, and began streaming on Amazon Prime Video on December 4, 2020. Sound of Metal became a part of the Criterion Collection, with a 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD released on September 27, 2022.

## Critical reception

On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 97% based on 281 reviews, with an average of 8.2/10. The site's critics consensus reads: "An evocative look at the experiences of the deaf community, Sound of Metal is brought to life by Riz Ahmed's passionate performance." On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 82 out of 100, based on 36 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".
Sound of Metal received mostly positive reviews from critics. Clarisse Loughrey of The Independent gave the film four stars out of five and praised Marder's direction and Ahmed's performance. Jeannette Catsoulis of The New York Times found the film "underwritten and dramatically muted" but praised Ahmed's performance and Nicolas Becker's sound design. Mark Kermode of The Guardian praised the "astonishing verisimilitude" of the direction and called Ahmed's performance the best of his career. Peter Bradshaw, also writing for The Guardian, credited Ahmed with giving "the film energy and point" but was critical of other aspects, writing that "[the story] perhaps tries to do too much", and that it "telescopes a long story into just a few months." Empire critic Ian Freer praised the sound design and called the film a "powerful but sensitive exploration of a so-called disability that challenges perceptions and assumptions about loss of hearing in thoughtful but provocative ways." Rolling Stone journalist David Fear wrote that the film "immerses you in a noiseless world — but it's the star that makes it speak volumes loudly and clearly". Although enthusiastic about many aspects of the film, metal-themed website The Pit criticized the film's portrayal of metal music, stating that it is "the latest in a long line of Hollywood movies to use metal as a lifestyle that serious characters grow out of."
At the end of the year, Sound of Metal appeared on 52 film critics' top-ten lists for 2020 as the ninth highest-ranked film, including first place on five lists and second place on seven lists.

## Accolades

| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) | Result |
| AACTA Awards | March 5, 2021 | Best International Actor | Riz Ahmed | Nominated |
| Academy Awards | April 25, 2021 | Best Picture | Bert Hamelinck & Sacha Ben Harroche | Nominated |
| Academy Awards | April 25, 2021 | Best Actor | Riz Ahmed | Nominated |
| Academy Awards | April 25, 2021 | Best Supporting Actor | Paul Raci | Nominated |
| Academy Awards | April 25, 2021 | Best Original Screenplay | Darius Marder, Abraham Marder & Derek Cianfrance | Nominated |
| Academy Awards | April 25, 2021 | Best Film Editing | Mikkel E. G. Nielsen | Won |
| Academy Awards | April 25, 2021 | Best Sound | Nicolas Becker, Jaime Baksht, Michelle Couttolenc, Carlos Cortés & Phillip Bladh | Won |
| Alliance of Women Film Journalists | January 4, 2021 | Best Actor | Riz Ahmed | Nominated |
| American Cinema Editors Awards | April 17, 2021 | Best Edited Feature Film (Dramatic) | Mikkel E. G. Nielsen | Nominated |
| American Film Institute Awards | February 26, 2021 | Top 10 Movies of the Year | Sound of Metal | Won |
| Austin Film Critics Association | March 19, 2021 | Best Actor | Riz Ahmed | Won |
| Austin Film Critics Association | March 19, 2021 | Best Supporting Actor | Paul Raci | Nominated |
| Austin Film Critics Association | March 19, 2021 | Best Original Screenplay | Darius Marder, Abraham Marder & Derek Cianfrance | Nominated |
| Austin Film Critics Association | March 19, 2021 | Best Editing | Mikkel E. G. Nielsen | Nominated |
| British Academy Film Awards | April 11, 2021 | Best Actor | Riz Ahmed | Nominated |
| British Academy Film Awards | April 11, 2021 | Best Supporting Actor | Paul Raci | Nominated |
| British Academy Film Awards | April 11, 2021 | Best Editing | Mikkel E. G. Nielsen | Won |
| British Academy Film Awards | April 11, 2021 | Best Sound | Jaime Baksht, Nicolas Becker, Phillip Bladh, Carlos Cortés Navarrete & Michelle Couttolenc | Won |
| Boston Society of Film Critics Awards | December 13, 2020 | Best Actor | Riz Ahmed | Runner-up |
| Boston Society of Film Critics Awards | December 13, 2020 | Best Supporting Actor | Paul Raci | Won |
| Casting Society of America | April 15, 2021 | Low Budget – Comedy or Drama | Susan Shopmaker, Angela Peri (Location Casting), Lisa Lobel (Location Casting), Emily Fleischer (Associate) | Nominated |
| Chicago Film Critics Association | December 21, 2020 | Best Actor | Riz Ahmed | Nominated |
| Chicago Film Critics Association | December 21, 2020 | Best Supporting Actor | Paul Raci | Won |
| Cinema Audio Society Awards | April 17, 2021 | Motion Picture – Live Action | Phillip Bladh, Nicolas Becker, Jaime Baksht, Michelle Couttolenc, Carlos Cortés Navarrette & Kari Vähäkuopus | Won |
| Critics' Choice Movie Awards | March 7, 2021 | Best Picture | Sound of Metal | Nominated |
| Critics' Choice Movie Awards | March 7, 2021 | Best Actor | Riz Ahmed | Nominated |
| Critics' Choice Movie Awards | March 7, 2021 | Best Supporting Actor | Paul Raci | Nominated |
| Critics' Choice Movie Awards | March 7, 2021 | Best Original Screenplay | Darius Marder & Abraham Marder | Nominated |
| Critics' Choice Movie Awards | March 7, 2021 | Best Editing | Mikkel E. G. Nielsen | Won |
| Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association | February 10, 2021 | Best Picture | Sound of Metal | Runner-up |
| Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association | February 10, 2021 | Best Actor | Riz Ahmed | Runner-up |
| Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association | February 10, 2021 | Best Supporting Actor | Paul Raci | Runner-up |
| Detroit Film Critics Society | March 8, 2021 | Best Picture | Sound of Metal | Nominated |
| Detroit Film Critics Society | March 8, 2021 | Best Actor | Riz Ahmed | Nominated |
| Detroit Film Critics Society | March 8, 2021 | Best Supporting Actor | Paul Raci | Nominated |
| Detroit Film Critics Society | March 8, 2021 | Best Original Screenplay | Sound of Metal | Nominated |
| Detroit Film Critics Society | March 8, 2021 | Best Use of Music/Sound | Sound of Metal | Won |
| Directors Guild of America Awards | April 10, 2021 | Outstanding Directing – First-Time Feature Film | Darius Marder | Won |
| Gotham Independent Film Awards | January 11, 2021 | Best Actor | Riz Ahmed | Won |
| Georgia Film Critics Association | March 12, 2021 | Best Picture | Sound of Metal | Nominated |
| Georgia Film Critics Association | March 12, 2021 | Best Director | Darius Marder | Nominated |
| Georgia Film Critics Association | March 12, 2021 | Best Actor | Riz Ahmed | Won |
| Georgia Film Critics Association | March 12, 2021 | Best Supporting Actor | Paul Raci | Won |
| Georgia Film Critics Association | March 12, 2021 | Best Original Screenplay | Darius Marder & Abraham Marder | Nominated |
| Georgia Film Critics Association | March 12, 2021 | Best Original Song | Abraham Marder | Nominated |
| Golden Globe Awards | February 28, 2021 | Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama | Riz Ahmed | Nominated |
| Hollywood Critics Association | March 5, 2021 | Best Picture | Sound of Metal | Nominated |
| Hollywood Critics Association | March 5, 2021 | Best Actor | Riz Ahmed | Nominated |
| Hollywood Critics Association | March 5, 2021 | Best Supporting Actor | Paul Raci | Won |
| Hollywood Critics Association | March 5, 2021 | Best Breakthrough Actor | Paul Raci | Won |
| Hollywood Critics Association | March 5, 2021 | Best Male Director | Darius Marder | Won |
| Hollywood Critics Association | March 5, 2021 | Best Original Screenplay | Darius Marder & Abraham Marder | Nominated |
| Hollywood Critics Association | March 5, 2021 | Best First Feature | Darius Marder | Nominated |
| Houston Film Critics Society | January 18, 2021 | Best Actor | Riz Ahmed | Won |
| Houston Film Critics Society | January 18, 2021 | Outstanding Cinematic Achievement | Sound of Metal (for its Immersive Sound Design) | Won |
| Independent Spirit Awards | April 22, 2021 | Best First Feature | Sound of Metal | Won |
| Independent Spirit Awards | April 22, 2021 | Best Male Lead | Riz Ahmed | Won |
| Independent Spirit Awards | April 22, 2021 | Best Supporting Male | Paul Raci | Won |
| IndieWire Critics Poll | December 14, 2020 | Best Performance | Riz Ahmed | Won |
| London Film Critics' Circle | 2021 | Actor of the Year | Riz Ahmed | Nominated |
| London Film Critics' Circle | 2021 | Technical Achievement | Nicolas Becker (Sound Design) | Nominated |
| London Film Critics' Circle | 2021 | British/Irish Actor of the Year (for body of work) | Riz Ahmed | Won |
| Los Angeles Film Critics Association | December 20, 2020 | Best Actor | Riz Ahmed | Runner-up |
| Los Angeles Film Critics Association | December 20, 2020 | Best Supporting Actor | Paul Raci | Runner-up |
| Miami International Film Festival | March 6, 2021 | Impact Award | Riz Ahmed | Won |
| Motion Picture Sound Editors | April 16, 2021 | Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing – Feature Underscore | Carolina Santana, Nicolas Becker & Abraham Marder | Nominated |
| Motion Picture Sound Editors | April 16, 2021 | Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing – Feature Dialogue / ADR | Nicolas Becker, Carolina Santana & Michelle Couttolenc | Nominated |
| Motion Picture Sound Editors | April 16, 2021 | Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing – Feature Effects / Foley | Nicolas Becker, Carolina Santana, Pietu Korhonen & Heikki Kossi | Nominated |
| National Board of Review | January 26, 2021 | Best Actor | Riz Ahmed | Won |
| National Board of Review | January 26, 2021 | Best Supporting Actor | Paul Raci | Won |
| National Board of Review | January 26, 2021 | Top 10 Films of 2020 | Sound of Metal | Won |
| National Society of Film Critics | January 9, 2021 | Best Actor | Riz Ahmed | Runner-up |
| National Society of Film Critics | January 9, 2021 | Best Supporting Actor | Paul Raci | Won |
| New York Film Critics Online | January 26, 2021 | Best Actor | Riz Ahmed | Won |
| Online Film Critics Society | January 25, 2021 | Best Picture | Sound of Metal | Nominated |
| Online Film Critics Society | January 25, 2021 | Best Actor | Riz Ahmed | Nominated |
| Online Film Critics Society | January 25, 2021 | Best Supporting Actor | Paul Raci | Nominated |
| Online Film Critics Society | January 25, 2021 | Best Debut Feature | Darius Marder | Nominated |
| Online Film Critics Society | January 25, 2021 | Technical Achievement Award | Sound of Metal – Sound Design | Won |
| Palm Springs International Film Festival | February 26, 2021 | Desert Palm Achievement Award, Actor | Riz Ahmed | Won |
| Producers Guild of America Awards | March 24, 2021 | Best Theatrical Motion Picture | Bert Hamelinck & Sacha Ben Harroche | Nominated |
| San Diego Film Critics Society | January 11, 2021 | Best Picture | Sound of Metal | Runner-up |
| San Diego Film Critics Society | January 11, 2021 | Best Director | Darius Marder | Nominated |
| San Diego Film Critics Society | January 11, 2021 | Best Actor | Riz Ahmed | Won |
| San Diego Film Critics Society | January 11, 2021 | Best Supporting Actor | Paul Raci | Won |
| San Diego Film Critics Society | January 11, 2021 | Best Supporting Actress | Olivia Cooke | Nominated |
| San Diego Film Critics Society | January 11, 2021 | Best Original Screenplay | Darius Marder, Abraham Marder & Derek Cianfrance | Runner-up |
| San Diego Film Critics Society | January 11, 2021 | Breakthrough Artist | Riz Ahmed | Runner-up |
| San Diego Film Critics Society | January 11, 2021 | Best Use of Music | Sound of Metal | Nominated |
| San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle | 2021 | Best Actor | Riz Ahmed | Nominated |
| San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle | 2021 | Best Supporting Actor | Paul Raci | Won |
| Santa Barbara International Film Festival | April 3, 2021 | Virtuosos Award | Riz Ahmed | Won |
| Santa Barbara International Film Festival | April 3, 2021 | Variety Artisans Award | Nicolas Becker | Won |
| Satellite Awards | February 15, 2021 | Best Motion Picture – Drama | Sound of Metal | Nominated |
| Satellite Awards | February 15, 2021 | Best Director | Darius Marder | Nominated |
| Satellite Awards | February 15, 2021 | Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama | Riz Ahmed | Won |
| Satellite Awards | February 15, 2021 | Best Sound (Editing and Mixing) | Phillip Bladh, Nicolas Becker, Jaime Baksht, Michelle Couttolenc, Carlos Cortés & Carolina Santana | Won |
| Screen Actors Guild Awards | April 4, 2021 | Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role | Riz Ahmed | Nominated |
| Seattle Film Critics Society | February 15, 2021 | Best Actor | Riz Ahmed | Won |
| Seattle Film Critics Society | February 15, 2021 | Best Actor in a Supporting Role | Paul Raci | Nominated |
| Seattle Film Critics Society | February 15, 2021 | Best Picture of the Year | Sound of Metal | Nominated |
| Set Decorators Society of America Awards | March 31, 2021 | Best Achievement in Décor/Design of a Contemporary Feature Film | Tara Pavoni and Jeremy Woodward | Nominated |
| St. Louis Film Critics Association | January 28, 2021 | Best Actor | Riz Ahmed | Nominated |
| St. Louis Film Critics Association | January 28, 2021 | Best Supporting Actor | Paul Raci | Won |
| Toronto Film Critics Association | February 7, 2021 | Best Actor | Riz Ahmed | Won |
| Toronto Film Critics Association | February 7, 2021 | Best Supporting Actor | Paul Raci | Runner-up |
| Toronto Film Critics Association | February 7, 2021 | Best Screenplay | Sound of Metal | Runner-up |
| Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association | February 8, 2021 | Best Actor | Riz Ahmed | Nominated |
| Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association | February 8, 2021 | Best Supporting Actor | Paul Raci | Nominated |
| Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association | February 8, 2021 | Best Original Screenplay | Darius Marder, Abraham Marder & Derek Cianfrance | Nominated |
| Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association | February 8, 2021 | Best Editing | Mikkel E. G. Nielsen | Nominated |
| Writers Guild of America Awards | March 21, 2021 | Best Original Screenplay | Darius Marder & Abraham Marder; story by Darius Marder & Derek Cianfrance | Nominated |
| Zurich Film Festival | October 6, 2019 | Best Film – International Feature | Sound of Metal | Won |