Sound of Metal (2019)

Nominated for Best Picture, Best Actor in a Leading Role, Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Best Sound, Best Film Editing, and Best Original Screenplay     First Best Picture nominee watched.  It's not my favorite.  Hopefully, the others are better.

Ruben (Riz Ahmed) is a heavy metal drummer and recovering heroin addict who abruptly loses over 80% of his hearing.  The doctor (Tom Kemp) warns him that he must stop exposure to loud noise and tries to prepare Ruben that his hearing will deteriorate further.  Ruben latches on to the idea of cochlear implants but the $40,000 minimum for surgery is a daunting barrier.  His girlfriend and bandmate, Lou (Olivia Cooke), takes him to a sober living facility that is also part of a Deaf community, run by Joe (Paul Raci).  There, Ruben must come to terms with his life and his expectations for the future. 

This is a depressing ass movie.  I get the concept that things happen and force us onto paths we hadn't considered and weren't prepared for, and that the best we can do for ourselves is embrace the future, not mourn the past.  But it's still depressing.  Currently streaming on Amazon.