Sound of Metal is a 2019 American drama film directed by Darius Marder and starring Riz Ahmed as a heavy metal drummer named Ruben Stone, who begins to lose his hearing. As his hearing deteriorates, Ruben's world is turned upside down and he experiences excruciating mental and emotional turmoil.
Ruben struggles to come to terms with his sudden disability, which affects his relationships with his girlfriend and bandmate Lou (Olivia Cooke) and his sense of identity as a musician. When a specialist tells him he is going to lose his hearing completely, Ruben becomes desperate to find a solution.
He joins a retreat for deaf recovering addicts led by a Vietnam veteran named Joe (Paul Raci), who helps Ruben understand that he can still have a fulfilling life. Ruben learns sign language and begins to accept his new life as a deaf person, but he still wants to return to his old life.
In this journey, Ruben also confronts past demons like drug addiction and is forced to question his understanding of who he really is. The film is a powerful exploration of deafness, identity, and acceptance and has received critical acclaim for its authentic portrayal of deaf culture.