It's All Gone Pete Tong

In the midst of Ibiza's vibrant nightlife, Frankie Wilde (music producer and DJ) finds himself struggling to come to terms with a sudden and inexplicable affliction: hearing loss. The initial symptoms manifest during an Arsenal match on TV, where a piercing whine pierces his eardrum, signaling the start of a precipitous decline in his auditory abilities. As he works tirelessly on his next album with fellow producers Alfonse and Horst, Frankie's condition worsens, making it increasingly difficult to maintain his signature sound.

The turning point arrives when Frankie takes the stage at Amnesia nightclub, only to realize that he can no longer hear the nuances of his performance. The crowd's disapproving reaction forces him to confront the harsh reality: his hearing is fading fast. In a moment of desperation, he abandons his equipment and is forcibly removed from the club.

As Frankie's world begins to crumble, he reluctantly seeks medical attention. A doctor delivers a sobering diagnosis: significant damage in one ear and limited functionality remaining in the other. The prognosis is dire – unless Frankie drastically changes his habits (i.e., drug use and exposure to loud noises), complete deafness will soon become his reality.

In a candid moment during a recording session, Frankie confesses his struggles to Alfonse, who remains empathetic yet powerless to reverse the damage. In an act of frustration, Horst smashes a guitar into an amplifier, shattering the silence and causing feedback that bursts Frankie's eardrum, rendering him permanently deaf.

Without his hearing, Frankie's music career stalls, and he loses his recording contract. His manager, Max, abandons him, while his wife, Sonya, leaves in a bid to escape the chaos. Despondent and isolated, Frankie retreats into his soundproofed home, where drug use intensifies as a coping mechanism for his grief.

As his depression deepens, Frankie's behavior becomes increasingly erratic – he repeatedly slams his body against walls, wraps Roman candles around his head, or plunges himself into the pool in an attempt to recapture his hearing. These desperate measures ultimately lead him to flush all drugs down the toilet and confront a recurring vision of a menacing cocaine badger.

When Frankie kills this manifestation of his own guilt-ridden psyche, he awakens to the harsh truth: the badger is, in fact, a symbol of his inner turmoil and addiction.

As Frankie immerses himself in the world of the deaf through his encounters with Penelope (a skilled lip-reading coach), their bond blossoms into a deep connection that transcends words. The two find solace in each other's company, sharing intimate moments that forge an unbreakable trust. Penelope becomes Frankie's guide, helping him reframe his understanding of music by employing innovative visual and tactile methods to perceive sound. This newfound appreciation sparks an idea within Frankie - he devises a unique system for mixing songs by analyzing oscilloscope patterns while tapping into the pulsating energy of the speakers. With this system, he creates a new mix CD titled "Hear No Evil," an impressive achievement that earns him recognition from Max, his former manager.

However, as Frankie becomes more confident in his creative process, Max seizes the opportunity to exploit his disability for commercial gain, orchestrating promotional events that are insensitive and offensive to the deaf community. Penelope is appalled by these developments, and her disapproval only grows stronger as Frankie becomes increasingly entangled in Max's schemes.

Despite his reservations, Frankie agrees to revive his music career with a live performance at Pacha, hoping to prove himself to his critics once more. The show is a resounding success, with many claiming that it showcases even greater talent than his early work. As the spotlight fades, Frankie and Penelope disappear from the public eye, leaving behind a trail of speculation about their whereabouts.

As the credits roll, we catch glimpses of characters pondering Frankie's fate - some believing he may have vanished forever, while others speculate about his possible return to the music scene. The film concludes with an enigmatic shot of Frankie, now disguised as a homeless street musician, meeting Penelope and their child on a quiet street corner. Together, they stroll hand in hand, their faces aglow with joy and contentment.

In a poignant coda, we see Frankie teaching a group of deaf children how to perceive sound and appreciate music, passing on the lessons he learned from Penelope and forging new connections with his community. As the camera pans out, we are left to wonder about the paths that lie ahead for this enigmatic character, whose journey has been marked by both triumph and transformation.