No One Else is Going to Save My Life. 5 / 5
Directed by Darius Marder.
A drummer begins to lose his hearing and has to come to grips with a future that will be filled with silence.
Through devastatingly honest performances and immersive sound design Sound of Metal puts you through the paces as you follow musician Ruben as he suddenly begins to suddenly lose his hearing which begins to threaten his career and his relationship with not only others but himself.
Riz Ahmed is outstanding playing his second tormented musician of the year after Mogul Mowgli. He goes through all of the stages of grief as his hearing begins to rapidly deteriorate and he begins to figure out what the rest of his life with his girlfriend Olivia Cooke and her bleached eyebrows looks like moving forward. I hope that both Ahmed and Cooke get recognition for their honest portrayals.
It's very much a story of acceptance despite inherently scary circumstances. I was really impressed with how respectful, inclusive, and immersive the film was thanks to its mostly deaf or hard of hearing supporting cast, captivating sound mix, and subtitles, which I believe are hardcoded, that add to the experience - becoming clearer and more detailed as Ruben's skills grow.
A beautiful and transformative piece that brings awareness to the deaf community and shows that regardless of how essential a skill may be to your life, there is always a way to adapt and continue to thrive.
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