Sound of Metal - The Power of Sound in Movies

Sometimes silence is the best way to grab someone’s attention. Think about it, when someone is speaking, and then there’s a pause, what do you do? You look up and see what they will say next. “Sound of Metal” is structured like a pause that causes you to look up and pay attention. It causes you to see that the simple things in life, like the gift of relationships, seeing, walking, hearing, are truly gifts to be enjoyed every day. And when one of those simple things we take for granted is removed it radically changes our lives. But it’s through these moments our eyes are opened up to whole new realities! 

I’ve always said one of the greatest special effects in film is sound. The sound design in “Sound of Metal” is extraordinary, putting the viewer/listener in the shoes of Ruben (Riz Ahmed) much of the time, as screams turn to silence, and buzzy, chattering crowds turn to muffled, confusion and mystery. It’s these sounds or lack thereof that really grab our attention and cause us to consider and listen. 

The story is very simple and yet it’s the acting and sound that does the heavy lifting. Riz Ahmed, the rapper MC/actor,  turns in a powerful yet subtle performance. He really carries the weight of this movie and brings the audience on the journey. He and Olivia Cooke do a great job evoking empathy even though they make absolutely terrible music together (hahahah sorry I had to!

The most engaging part of this movie were the clashes of world views with those who regard deafness as a setback to overcome or medically improve, and those — like Raci’s spiritual and group leader, Joe — who embrace it as a difference, not a deficit. These table talk scenes were some of my favorite in the movie. Simple, yet beautifully designed to create conflict and deal with world views and move us emotionally. This was my favorite part of the movie. So well done!

In our world constantly surrounded by sound, with air pods in our ears, who would’ve thought that the movie that pauses would so powerfully grab our attention?