HIDDEN GEM: SOUND OF METAL
A Budding Oscar Contender You Have To See
What if the art that you create is the very thing that plagues you? That’s the story of Ruben Stone in Sound of Metal.
Released on Amazon Prime, the American drama tells a tale on Blackgammon, a rock band that consists of a couple, Ruben and his girlfriend, Lou. The tandem begin to journey across the country performing, up until the star drummer begins to lose his hearing. Upon the reveal of his medical condition, and the need to stop performing to conserve his hearing, Stone disregards the pleas of doctors and his girlfriend and continues playing until it hinders him further.
Through a sponsor, Stone finds himself in a shelter for deaf recovering addicts, which he too has had the burden of. He must find solace in the silence, reluctantly embarking on a journey that gives him painful truths, but ultimately, the closure he needed.
Starring British actors, Riz Ahmed and Olivia Cooke, the film has already gotten acclaim from film enthusiasts throughout — scoring a 96% on Rotten Tomatoes, as well as earning multiple nominations for awards.
Riz Ahmed, who starred as Ruben, received multiple nominations for the British Academy Film Awards. The film will also be represented at the 32nd Annual Producers Guild Awards, nominated alongside the likes of Judas and the Black Messiah and Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom for Darryl F. Zanuck’s award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures.
The film sheds light on a reality that, over the past year all can relate to how to cope with loss. Whether it be losing a loved one or our escape, the film gave a relatability in which those that tried to help Ruben also offered us food for thought, in ways that are noticeable for other publications.
Simplistic storytelling told to perfection, as with a film such as Amazon’s new hit, the fanfare can only grow from here.
