Best scene is when Ruben asks for money to Joe.
He does sounds like an addict, even without having relapsed at all. That urgency to find a quick getaway and not thinking the consequences is his main issue.
Amazing use of the sound throughout the movie.
Also, Riz Ahmed looks hot as fuck.
Masterpiece! I was expecting a movie like Whiplash but this one is far better. Whiplash is a story of "If you work hard, you succeed." This one is "If you work hard, you succeed, then one day you can lose everything in a second, and if you work harder, you can realize that "everything" is actually nothing." A tribute to stillness...
Amazing! The story had the vibe of a greek myth in terms of the journey and destination of the main character. I found it quite suffocating, even more so than The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (I guess the casting of Mathieu Almaric wasn’t a coincidence). Turn up the volume (but not too much) for full effect. It’s not an easy film but a very rewarding one, filled with humanity.
On a side note. @csarica Whiplash is not about success but about obsession. I don’t think the ending is supposed to be positive. Look for the shot of the father’s reaction at what’s happening. Yeah! He’s great but at what cost.
I too expected a more furious film like Whiplash, but got a calmer one, reminding me rather of Indie dramas like Room in tone. This is not about metal or music: It's about struggling, coping, accepting, universal human themes. And a very neat film at this.
peterskb45: Well, of course
we knew all along that the film wouldn't let Ruben visit that camp, collect some money, fix his hearing and bam!, that's it, problem solved. And still the moment in which these ugly noises set in is so hard-hitting. Because we as viewers realize together with Ruben: Fuck. Fuck. This is awful. This is NOT the solution. This is going to last forever.
Just because both movies pictures drummers as main characters it doesn’t mean you have to compare them. But since everyone is doing it, i believe Whiplash and this one have in common the idea that you need to be something in order to be worthy and feel accepted, loved. When losing hearing, Ruben is afraid to lose this feeling that he gets from his woman and fans. This feeling is his addiction.
I had high hopes for this one and the movie still managed to exceed my expectations. It succeeds where a lot of recent indies have failed: it never loses sight of its narrative and its protagonist even when it indulges in quiet and still moments because they are part of the story too.
Great direction and beautiful performance from Ahmed who proves once again he deserves more praise than he gets.
How I wish this was something released in cinemas! That magnificent sound work needs an auditorium-sized surround sound system to really do it justice. Thankfully it still works at home - been a while since a film so dramatically and relentlessly explores sound and silence, and with the goal of putting the viewer inside a characters’ traumatic experience.
The rest of the film is in some ways a conventional indie drama - not in a particularly bad way, but certainly it doesn’t quite have the same visual imagination as it does sound design. Nonetheless, it’s a genuinely tender and compassionate drama with an incredibly committed central performance. Some of the steps along the way may be predictable, but it all comes together for a rich and earned ending that felt natural and true to the character. As a drama it’s absolutely solid, but the commitment to adding that extra sensory layer allows it to rise above.
First hour of the film were incredible experience especially from the audio perspective. Even when the scenes were quiet they were loud for me as a viewer. Living through Ruben's experience of loss, coping with that loss, reality check, relationship, emotions and change. Last 30 minutes of the film are a complete change for Ruben and everything around, not necessarily good nor bad, but definitely a new reality that he has to live with now and accept it.
Last scene might be his moment of acceptance of that new reality.
Amazing film and one of the best sound editing I've ever heard on a film.
As a musician myself the movie hit hard. I felt the pain and devastation. Excellent work. Deserves even more recognition than what we've seen at the awards season so far.
I agree with imokaylarry. This movie seems weirdly obsessed with the idea that people who have lost their hearing no longer "belong" in the real world. Thank goodness the main character finally realized that his purpose now is to remove himself from his former community so that able-bodied people no longer have to attempt to accommodate him. How heartwarming.
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Comments 1 - 15 of 22
Axel Fritzler
Best scene is when Ruben asks for money to Joe.He does sounds like an addict, even without having relapsed at all. That urgency to find a quick getaway and not thinking the consequences is his main issue.
Amazing use of the sound throughout the movie.
Also, Riz Ahmed looks hot as fuck.
peterskb45
Riz Ahmed owns this movie. At one point, his character finallyThe sound design is especially great and takes you on his auditory journey.
csarica
Masterpiece! I was expecting a movie like Whiplash but this one is far better. Whiplash is a story of "If you work hard, you succeed." This one is "If you work hard, you succeed, then one day you can lose everything in a second, and if you work harder, you can realize that "everything" is actually nothing." A tribute to stillness...baraka92
Amazing! The story had the vibe of a greek myth in terms of the journey and destination of the main character. I found it quite suffocating, even more so than The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (I guess the casting of Mathieu Almaric wasn’t a coincidence). Turn up the volume (but not too much) for full effect. It’s not an easy film but a very rewarding one, filled with humanity.On a side note. @csarica Whiplash is not about success but about obsession. I don’t think the ending is supposed to be positive. Look for the shot of the father’s reaction at what’s happening. Yeah! He’s great but at what cost.
Torgo
I too expected a more furious film like Whiplash, but got a calmer one, reminding me rather of Indie dramas like Room in tone. This is not about metal or music: It's about struggling, coping, accepting, universal human themes. And a very neat film at this.peterskb45: Well, of course
ptrigueiro
Just because both movies pictures drummers as main characters it doesn’t mean you have to compare them. But since everyone is doing it, i believe Whiplash and this one have in common the idea that you need to be something in order to be worthy and feel accepted, loved. When losing hearing, Ruben is afraid to lose this feeling that he gets from his woman and fans. This feeling is his addiction.BadFluffy
I had high hopes for this one and the movie still managed to exceed my expectations. It succeeds where a lot of recent indies have failed: it never loses sight of its narrative and its protagonist even when it indulges in quiet and still moments because they are part of the story too.Great direction and beautiful performance from Ahmed who proves once again he deserves more praise than he gets.
MrW
How I wish this was something released in cinemas! That magnificent sound work needs an auditorium-sized surround sound system to really do it justice. Thankfully it still works at home - been a while since a film so dramatically and relentlessly explores sound and silence, and with the goal of putting the viewer inside a characters’ traumatic experience.The rest of the film is in some ways a conventional indie drama - not in a particularly bad way, but certainly it doesn’t quite have the same visual imagination as it does sound design. Nonetheless, it’s a genuinely tender and compassionate drama with an incredibly committed central performance. Some of the steps along the way may be predictable, but it all comes together for a rich and earned ending that felt natural and true to the character. As a drama it’s absolutely solid, but the commitment to adding that extra sensory layer allows it to rise above.
Bligor
First hour of the film were incredible experience especially from the audio perspective. Even when the scenes were quiet they were loud for me as a viewer. Living through Ruben's experience of loss, coping with that loss, reality check, relationship, emotions and change. Last 30 minutes of the film are a complete change for Ruben and everything around, not necessarily good nor bad, but definitely a new reality that he has to live with now and accept it.airi86ja
strongdeeply touching
sensitive movie with amazing metaphors & search of stillness inside
deserve an Oscar indeed
boulderman
Great film, some cliches but deserved of Best Picture (nom)Ljubljana
As a musician myself the movie hit hard. I felt the pain and devastation. Excellent work. Deserves even more recognition than what we've seen at the awards season so far.Arnar Ingi
Absolutely beautiful.maarow
I agree with imokaylarry. This movie seems weirdly obsessed with the idea that people who have lost their hearing no longer "belong" in the real world. Thank goodness the main character finally realized that his purpose now is to remove himself from his former community so that able-bodied people no longer have to attempt to accommodate him. How heartwarming.ahmetaslan27
I will make the world mute if I feel disturbedShowing items 1 – 15 of 22