Is this too recent to be considered a cult classic? I don’t think so. Not enough people have seen this masterpiece from director and co-writer Darius Marder, it would seem. But everyone should, it’s nothing short of exceptional, a beautifully crafted story of love and survival.
British actor Riz Ahmed portrays Ruben, a battering ram drummer in hardcore metal band Backgammon alongside the vocalist and guitarist, his girlfriend Lou (Olivia Cooke). They tour to small clubs in their RV, barely scraping by. But there’s another significant problem – Ruben is losing his hearing. He’s got a decision to make: stay in a small, supportive Deaf community; or sell the RV and some musical instruments, and get cochlear implants so he can return to making music with the woman he loves?
What makes the film so ground-breaking is the approach to sound. We first hear the hiss, then the gradual loss of sound, catapulting us directly into Ruben’s situation. It doesn’t soft -soap anything. These are life decisions that are rarely given screentime. Ahmed’s internal conflicts are written in his huge, expressive brown eyes.
He’s equally matched by fellow Brit and co-star Cooke as Lou, whose love, empathy and frustration are implicit in every scene. We root for them both as they’re beautifully drawn, fully formed characters. The American accents are on point, as are their sense of shared impotence at the dilemma. As someone dealing with a sudden disability in middle age, I felt for Ruben and Lou, and admired the refusal by Marder to show any obvious routes forward. Here, the nuances and complexities of disability are depicted without sentimentality or obvious narrative signposts. They worked closely with Deaf actors, bringing authenticity to the scenes set within the Deaf community. The band are pretty kickass too.
Hit The North 