Based on the 1985 novel of the same name, White Noise follows college professor Jack Gladney (Adam Driver) who lives in a comfortable suburb with his wife Babette (Greta Gerwig) and their three children. The family soon have their idyllic lives turned upside down when a nearby chemical leak causes “The Airborne Toxic Event,” releasing a noxious black cloud over the region that forces the Gladney family to evacuate. In the face of death, Jack begins to contemplate life and what could happen once he no longer has it.
White Noise feels very much like a film born out of the global COVID-19 pandemic as the Gladney family deals with feelings of paranoia and existential dread at the end of life. All of the Gladney’s have a bit of a curious fascination with death and who in the family will be the first to go as do their friends such as Murray (Don Cheadle), Jack’s professorial colleague. It’s at first innocent enough despite the weirdness until the specter of death becomes real following the toxic event and subsequent evacuation of their small town. Now with the prospect of dying at the forefront, Jack is faced with his mortality and soon finds that Babette has been facing the same monster too, so much so that it has driven her into the hands of a man who promises to alleviate this fear for her, Mr. Gray (Lars Eldinger).
The fear that the Gladneys exhibit is one that many in the audience surely felt in dealing with all that has gone on in our own world over the past two years, wondering if they can beat the invisible toxin in our own lives and as we flee its reach, wondering what it means for our own lives and viability. In that context, White Noise has some resonance for viewers as it ponders these questions and shows how its characters deal with what they find as they seek out the answers.
While its themes are topical and contain some relatability for viewers, the film mostly falls flat as a complete piece of work. Baumbach leans heavily into quirky, weird humor to go along with the fantastical nature of the source material, but instead of being entertaining and engaging, it comes across flat and bizarre. The cast of talented actors is extensive, but not even their immense skill is enough to overcome the material they are working with. Largely, White Noise just feels like a film that is…there. Despite its topical themes and star-studded cast, its a largely forgettable experience that fails to really connect.
Image: Netflix
