Sound of Metal

Ruben Stone, the drummer for the heavy metal band Blackgammon, along with singer/guitarist Lou, lives a nomadic lifestyle in an RV, traveling between gigs. They perform music together and share a close relationship. The band’s touring lifestyle is characterized by loud performances and raw musical energy.

Ruben begins to hear ringing in his ears, which progressively worsens causing muffled sounds and reduced hearing. Concerned, he visits a doctor who conducts tests revealing he has significant hearing loss, down to 24 and 28 percent in each ear. The doctor advises him to avoid loud noises and discusses possible treatments.

Despite his hearing loss, Ruben goes on stage and performs with his band but quickly loses all sound, fleeing the stage in panic. Lou chases after him, and Ruben confesses the severity of his hearing damage. This event highlights the immediate danger of his condition.

Ruben talks about getting a cochlear implant to restore his hearing, despite the high costs and the irreversible nature of his hearing loss. His focus is on regaining his ability to hear, and he expresses determination to proceed with surgery.

Lou contacts Ruben’s sponsor, leading to a meeting with Joe, a deaf man and Vietnam War veteran who lost his hearing due to an explosion. Joe shares his story of alcohol addiction and loss, and discusses his own experience of living deaf and overcoming personal hardships.

Ruben refuses to stay in the deaf community but is compelled to attend a sober living program led by Joe. He is introduced to sign language and begins participating in classroom activities, slowly learning to communicate and adapt to his deafness.

Following a wake-up call with Lou, Ruben experiences emotional distress, smashing up his RV and expressing suicidal thoughts. Lou intervenes, emphasizing the importance of his mental health and encouraging him to seek help and stay in the program.

Ruben begins learning sign language and even teaches deaf children how to drum, gradually embracing his deaf identity. With the help of Joe and Diane, he finds a sense of purpose and community in the deaf world.

Ruben sells his musical equipment and makes arrangements for cochlear implant surgery, showing his commitment to regaining hearing. He also sells his RV but keeps an option to reacquire it, symbolizing his willingness to sacrifice for his future.

After the surgery, Ruben is told he will experience complete silence until the device activates. When turned on, he hears distorted, static-filled sounds, which disappoints him as he struggles to readjust to the new way of hearing.

Ruben travels to Paris to surprise Lou. They reconnect briefly, sharing heartfelt moments. However, the noise and chaos of a party make it difficult for Ruben to hear, highlighting the ongoing struggle to adapt to his altered hearing.

In the final scenes, Ruben chooses to remove his cochlear implant and embraces the silence voluntarily. Sitting in a park in Paris, he listens to the chimes and finds peace in the quiet, symbolizing acceptance of his new reality and leaving his past behind.