Riz Ahmed’s best role is probably in the underrated masterpiece, Sound of Metal. Released in 2019 and directed by Darius Marder, Sound of Metal is a drama film which follows a metal drummer called Ruben Stone (Riz Ahmed) who suddenly loses his hearing. The film also stars Olivia Cooke (House of the Dragon) and Lauren Ridloff (The Walking ᴅᴇᴀᴅ, Eternals).

Critics and audiences alike both loved the film, with Sound of Metal scoring a Certified Fresh 97% Tomatometer and 90% Popcornmeter on Rotten Tomatoes. As a result, Darius Marder’s Sound of Metal easily stands out as one of Riz Ahmed’s best movies. However, the 2019 drama movie is a somewhat less-recognized masterpiece, despite its many accolades and fantastic performances.

Riz Ahmed Delivered A Fantastic Performance In 2019’s Sound Of Metal

Riz Ahmed Won Multiple Best Actor Awards For His Dedication

Riz Ahmed is one of those underrated actors whose appearance makes their movies better. He has starred in minor roles in Star Wars and Venom, but his predominant focus appears to be indie films. That being said, Ahmed shines in every role he is given, and that is certainly true for Sound of Metal, as he delivered a fantastic performance.

Ruben Stone is a very complex character, one whose musical idenтιтy becomes challenged when faced with the prospect of hearing loss. Despite not being Deaf himself, Ahmed manages to deliver a powerful, authentic performance that vividly captures Ruben’s emotional turmoil. In fact, it is Ahmed’s dedication that makes Sound of Metal such an excellent non-biopic and non-musical movie about music.

Ahmed learned how to play the drums for the role to authentically capture Ruben as a drummer. However, according to a Backstage interview with ASL coach Jeremy Stone in 2021, Riz Ahmed also learned American Sign Language for the role, insisting on an authentic learning approach, and he picked it up quicker than anticipated. Check out the full quote below:

A friend of mine referred the [team] to me, to take ASL classes. I ended up playing an ASL teacher in the film. I’ve taught Riz American Sign Language almost every day for months, brought him into the deaf world, and exposed him to deaf cultures. He picks up quicker than I anticipated. It’s funny, because I’ve always taught my students using many different textbooks. Riz was insistent on not doing that; he wanted to have a normal conversation in different places. It was challenging at first, and then he picked up quickly—it was a much more organic process.

Riz Ahmed’s approach to learning ASL added to his performance, almost placing himself in Ruben’s shoes, as someone thrust into the deaf world. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that Ahmed was nominated for multiple Best Actor awards, winning nine at various film awards. Sound of Metal also won two Academy Awards for Best Film Editing and Best Sound.

Despite Its Many Accolades, Sound Of Metal Is A Criminally Overlooked Movie

Sound Of Metal Was Commercially Unsuccessful But Critically Acclaimed

Despite its many accolades, Sound of Metal is a criminally overlooked movie. According to Box Office Mojo, on a production budget of $5.4 million, Sound of Metal struggled at the box office, grossing just $516,520, even with Ahmed’s name attached. However, this disappointing box office result was partly due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw theaters shut.

The drama movie was given a second chance through streaming on Prime Video two weeks later, and it rose to critical acclaim. In fact, although it didn’t officially make the list, Sound of Metal was voted for the Readers’ Choice edition of The New York Times‘ list of The 100 Best Movies of the 21st Century, ranking at number 236.

Therefore, it is clear Sound of Metal is well-loved, yet there is a distinct lack of recognition in wider circles, as the film is hardly ever talked about. Considering how fantastic Riz Ahmed is in the role, alongside supporting characters like Olivia Cooke, Lauren Ridloff, and the Oscar-nominated Paul Raci, 2019’s masterpiece of a drama film certainly deserves better.

Sources: Backstage, Box Office Mojo, The New York Times