Sound of Metal

Play trailer

2:36

Sound of Metal

R

2020

2h 0m

Drama

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

97%

Tomatometer

287 Reviews

90%

Popcornmeter

2,500+ Ratings

During a series of adrenaline-fueled one-night gigs, itinerant punk-metal drummer Ruben (Riz Ahmed) begins to experience intermittent hearing loss. When a specialist tells him his condition will rapidly worsen, he thinks his music career — and with it his life — is over. His bandmate and girlfriend Lou (Olivia Cooke) checks the recovering heroin addict into a secluded sober house for the deaf in hopes it will prevent a relapse and help him learn to adapt to his new situation. But after being welcomed into a community that accepts him just as he is, Ruben has to choose between his equilibrium and the drive to reclaim the life he once knew. Utilizing startling, innovative sound design techniques, director Darius Marder takes audiences inside Ruben’s experience to vividly recreate his journey into a rarely examined world.

Watch on Prime Video

Stream Now

Critics Consensus

An evocative look at the experiences of the deaf community, Sound of Metal is brought to life by Riz Ahmed's passionate performance.

Read Critics Reviews

Christina Newland

iNews.co.uk

09/23/2024

4/5

Sound of Metal is thoughtful in its refusal to offer pat solutions for complex and changeable medical circumstances, and immersive without being exploitative, never suggesting that it represents any monolithic experience of disability.

Go to Full Review

Tara Brady

Irish Times

04/16/2021

4/5

A drama that's as visceral and hard-hitting as its protagonist's drum solos.

Go to Full Review

Linda Marric

The Jewish Chronicle

04/16/2021

5/5

Marder does away with the stigma attached to disabilities, choosing to represent them as differences rather than handicaps.

Go to Full Review

Julian Singleton

Cinapse

Jul 11

it’s a film whose intentions are handicapped by its own ableist perspective, whether or not such beliefs are intentionally or genuinely held.

Go to Full Review

Brendan Cassidy

InSession Film

07/09/2024

What the film gets so right is that it’s not about fixing your physical flaws, but fixing your interpretation of those flaws...

Go to Full Review

Paul Emmanuel Enicola

The Movie Buff

07/04/2024

A

Usually, mainstream films depict afflictions and impairments as things that need to be fixed to make the person’s life whole again. “Sound of Metal,” conversely, makes sure that the objectivity stays intact.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

04/04/2021

The unwanted journey of the main character's new life was honest and rough and soul touching. Not to mention the film telling the story not often known to people outside the deaf community of the social & educational services/sub communities within the the larger deaf community.

See more

03/28/2021

Great movie that missed 5 stars due to a few dragging moments.

See more

03/26/2021

I found this film to be flawless and deeply moving. Incredible experience!!

See more

03/24/2021

Interesting - very real

See more

11/22/2020

Superb acting Story line was incredible Addict in recovery-loss of hearing-new beginnings

See more

Linda J

Nov 23

One of the most thought provoking movies I have seen in years, or maybe ever. There are so many layers to this movie, told in such an amazing story. So we'll directed, with ab amazing script and acting.

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Darius Marder

Director

Riz Ahmed

Ruben

Olivia Cooke

Lou

Paul Raci

Joe

Mathieu Amalric

Richard Berger

Michael Tow

Pharmacist

Sound of Metal: Movie Clip - I Can't Hear Anything

1:16

View more videos

Una

76%

50%

Una

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Una

The Never List

60%

100%

The Never List

Watchlist

TRAILER

for The Never List

To Leslie

93%

86%

To Leslie

Watchlist

TRAILER

for To Leslie

Marriage Story

95%

85%

Marriage Story

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Marriage Story

An Imperfect Murder

40%

9%

An Imperfect Murder

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Awards Leaderboard: Top Movies of 2020

Rotten Tomatoes Predicts the 2021 Oscar Winners: Our Final Picks for the 93rd Academy Awards

Who’s Going to Win Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor at the 2021 Oscars?

Sound of Metal: Trailer 1

2:36

Sound of Metal: Teaser Trailer

0:52

View more videos

View more photos

Synopsis

During a series of adrenaline-fueled one-night gigs, itinerant punk-metal drummer Ruben (Riz Ahmed) begins to experience intermittent hearing loss. When a specialist tells him his condition will rapidly worsen, he thinks his music career — and with it his life — is over. His bandmate and girlfriend Lou (Olivia Cooke) checks the recovering heroin addict into a secluded sober house for the deaf in hopes it will prevent a relapse and help him learn to adapt to his new situation. But after being welcomed into a community that accepts him just as he is, Ruben has to choose between his equilibrium and the drive to reclaim the life he once knew. Utilizing startling, innovative sound design techniques, director Darius Marder takes audiences inside Ruben’s experience to vividly recreate his journey into a rarely examined world.

Director: Darius Marder
Producer: Bill Benz
Screenwriter: Darius Marder
Distributor: Amazon Studios
Production Co: Caviar, Flat 7 Productions, Ward Four
Rating: R (Language Throughout|Brief Nude Images)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 20, 2020, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 4, 2020
Runtime: 2h 0m
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

Most Popular at Home Now