There's a lot to enjoy about the Middleburg Film Festival, my favorite aspect being the sensation of meeting and engaging with fellow film enthusiasts. But even in a year when we can't get the shared in-person experience, one quality always prevails: the joy of discovering a truly great film that you've never heard of. Sound of Metal is one such film.

The story is centered on Ruben (Nightcrawler's Riz Ahmed), a drummer in a heavy metal band who begins to experience rapidly degenerative hearing loss. It's not long before Ruben is completely deaf, and must adapt to a whole new way of perceiving the world around him.

I have no idea what's going to happen with the Oscars this year, given the current state of the world, but if awards season prevails, I will be truly disappointed if Riz Ahmed isn't up for Best Actor this year (I can't say I'll be surprised, given the Academy's track record when it comes to recognizing quality performances, but I will be disappointed). He truly is that good at delivering a convincing level of fear and frustration with his situation, but also planting a seed of hope in the viewer that he might just find contentment.

Olivia Cooke (Me and Earl and the Dying Girl) also turns in an impressive performance as Ruben's supportive girlfriend, Lou. I don't want to say too much about her character, but suffice it to say that Cooke hits all of the necessary emotional beats and offers a unique perspective.

One of my favorite details of this movie is the sound mixing. There are several instances in which the film will indicate that we're experiencing things from Ruben's point of view by temporarily cutting out or significantly muffling the sounds around him (sort of an audio version of a point-of-view shot). I was reminded of Hush, another recommended film with a deaf protagonist, that did the same trick, and in both cases, it pays off really well. It's not a necessary detail, but it takes things an extra step further to make the movie stand out strongly.

But sound and editing tricks are merely paint colors in a director's palette, and the true portrait we're meant to take in is the story. And fortunately, the story is wonderfully executed, taking a sad situation and showing the real trials that it brings without ever becoming overwhelmingly depressing. The story's themes have a lot to say about accepting difficult circumstances, being unashamed of a disability, and well as striking a balance between having hope and aspiration for more for yourself, while also learning to be content with your current setting. The script manages to say all of these ideas without screaming them at you, and it never insists that you feel one way over the other.

I can't gush enough about how much I enjoyed this movie. Between the emotionally authentic performances, the unique sound design, and the mature script, Sound of Metal is not only my standout film of this year's festival, but my current favorite movie of the year. I enthusiastically recommend this one, and I give Sound of Metal four out of four stars.