The Scottish Mail on Sunday

Why is there such a buzz about..?

Sound Of Metal (Amazon, from Mon)

- Matthew Bond

There are three big reasons why there’s a buzz around Sound Of Metal. First – and most importantl­y for his fellow Brits – is the sheer quality of Riz Ahmed’s Oscarnomin­ated central performanc­e, which is also up for a Best Actor Bafta at tonight’s awards.

The Wembley-born, former Four Lions star is brilliant as Ruben, the heavy metal drummer whose life is plunged into crisis when he suddenly – and rapidly – starts to lose his hearing.

Then there’s the fact that the film itself – directed and co-written by Darius Marder – is up for no less than six Oscars, including the big one, Best Motion Picture of the Year. Another of those nomination­s, for Best Supporting Actor, brings us to the third reason to watch – Paul Raci’s quietly powerful performanc­e as the community leader who offers Ruben sanctuary and help.

But, rather like Minari – another small, indie-style film with six nomination­s – there’s a danger of

Sound Of Metal suffering from sheer weight of expectatio­n. Ahmed looks fabulous behind a drum kit but there’s actually very little drumming in the film. What little heavy metal there is… well, let’s just say it’s of a particular­ly challengin­g kind.

No, this is a serious drama about the trauma of a young man suddenly losing not just his hearing but his livelihood, his music and possibly his relationsh­ip with Lou (Olivia Cooke, right). Can Ruben rebuild his life? Thanks to Ahmed’s brilliance, you’ll enjoy finding out.

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