SPOILER FREE 

The plot here revolves around Reuben, who is a drummer in a heavy metal duo called Blackgammon. The other side of the duo is his girlfriend Lou. They gig all over in their mobile home. Everything is going well for them until Reuben starts to have difficulty hearing and his symptoms swiftly get worse. Reuben goes to see a specialist who gives him the devastating news that he may never be able to  hear again. This leaves his relationship with Lou in tatters and he must start to live with his new health issue. He goes to live in a deaf home and makes new relationships and learns how to sign. Reuben is played brilliantly by Riz Ahmed. He so good at acting with expression and even by just his eyes he actually lets you know how he’s feeling. Olivia Cooke is great too as his well meaning but complex girlfriend. The film goes to great lengths to let you know how it would feel to be deaf. The movie goes into long silences. Paul Raci is also outstanding as Joe, the once alcoholic who has now taken to looking after all the deaf community. This is intelligent film making dealing with characters as much as deafness and it’s incredibly emotional too