“Sound of Metal” is an uncomfortable and all too realistic look at obsession and addiction

If you haven’t seen “Sound of Metal” yet, then I implore you to stop reading and to go watch it. You’ll have to be an Amazon Prime Member as it is an Amazon Prime exclusive movie, but they offer enough free trials where you might be able to watch it for free.

I recently sat down to watch it, somewhat hesitantly as it didn’t seem like my type of film. It seemed very artsy and not quite about metal, which as a metal fun is disappointing. But after reading the rave reviews that people gave the film, more specifically, the lead actor Riz Ahmed who plays Ruben, I figured that the least I could do to show respect for the arts was to sit down for 2 hours and to not think about anything but what was in front of me.

Sometimes you watch a film or a portrayal and without noticing it, it leaves a subtle imprint on your life. This film does just that and does it in a powerful way that leaves you thinking long after the credits roll to an end about your own life and the things that we tend to cling to.

The film starts off by introducing the main character Ruben, played by Ahmed, as a stereotypical blonde haired, 6 pack toting, metal drummer with a propensity for random tattoos and a tour bus. He travels the road with his girlfriend and musical companion…