To say that Noah Baumbach is an experimental director might undercut his talent. He has a knack for creating beautiful narratives and juxtaposing them with absurdity, while still keeping the story grounded with the help of real emotions. Whether you look at the Meyerowitz Stories or The Marriage Story, he ignites a magical spark in the audience watching his work. With a base so strong, it is not surprising that expectations are ridiculously high for his latest project, White Noise, a Netflix original film.
This film is a product of an exclusive deal signed in January 2021 between the giant streamer and writer/director Noah Baumbach. After months of anticipation, White Noise finally premiered at the 79th Venice Film Festival on August 31. Let us find out the initial reactions to the film and how it fared in the prestigious film event.
Critic reviews for Netflix’s entry to the Venice Film Festival
White Noise, a Netflix film is adapted from Don DeLillo’s 1985 National Award-holding, postmodern novel of the same name. Starring Adam Driver and Greta Gerwig in lead roles, the story follows the struggles of a typical American family, navigating their mundane suburban life. This life flips upside down when a chemical leak called “The Airborne Toxic Event” forces them to deal with the apocalypse head-on.
The initial reviews of White Noise, produced by Netflix, are nothing short of spectacular. According to The Guardian, the “film amplifies not merely the book’s richness as a period piece which speaks of the trendy zeitgeistiness of postmodernism on the American campus, but how prescient it is about the fears of the present day.” The media house even drew parallels between “The Airborne Toxic Event,” and Covid-19 in its lockdown phase.
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The Hollywood Reporter commended the director for the flick. “There’s much to appreciate in Noah Baumbach’s alternately exhilarating and enervating attempt to tame Don DeLillo’s comedy of death,” read the reivew.
Variety, on the other hand, spoke about Don DeLillo’s book and how certain aspects of the on-screen version worked while some missed the mark. The media house wrote in its review, “As a movie, White Noise announces its themes loudly and proudly, but the trouble is that it announces them more than it makes you feel them.”
Meanwhile, the film went on to score 7.1 on IMDb and 81% on Rotten Tomatoes.
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Fan reactions to White Noise, a Netflix Original
While Venice Film Festival is an exclusive event, only a handful of film aficionados and superfans managed to catch the premiere of White Noise. While limited, the overall reaction to Noah Baumbach’s project has been incredibly positive. First The Sandman, then White Noise; Netflix seems to be on a roll with converting “unfilmable” content to brilliant live-action renditions.
They said Don DeLillo's White Noise was unfilmable but by gosh, Noah Baumbach gives it an honest oddball try. Its a hodge-podge of dysfunctional family comedy, road trip adventure and satire of American values that never fully coalesces. But Driver shines though.
#Venezia79 pic.twitter.com/nQ4BDBqDra— Luke Hearfield 🔜 Venice & TIFF 🇮🇹🎥🇨🇦 (@LukeHearfield) August 31, 2022
WHITE NOISE: I laughed, cried and loved every second it. Baumbach blew me away with this touching, deeply funny, satirical tale of life, death, quarantine and supermarkets. Driver shines at its comedic best, and the whole film expertly juggles multiple genres. Loved it! #Venice79 pic.twitter.com/nnmIshCr3Y
— Nicolò Grasso at #Venezia79 (@nickygra97) August 31, 2022
WHITE NOISE: Baumbach manages to explore themes such as fear of death and consumerism with terrifying images that look like they came straight out of an 80s flick. There's a bedroom scene that gave me so many chills. Couldn't wish for a better DeLillo's adaptation!#Venezia79 pic.twitter.com/F6nWm2iRtZ
— alessio #VENEZIA79 (@alessiomarncc) August 31, 2022
#Venezia79 #WhiteNoise Baumbach turns the unfilmable novel by DeLillo into the definitive mumblecore. Death looms and there's no way to stop ruminating about it. Everything works. Especially Gerwig. God, I missed her on the screen! P.S. Stay for the end credits.
— Lorenzo Ciorcalo (@rotovisor) August 31, 2022
#Venezia79 #WhiteNoise Baumbach turns the unfilmable novel by DeLillo into the definitive mumblecore. Death looms and there's no way to stop ruminating about it. Everything works. Especially Gerwig. God, I missed her on the screen! P.S. Stay for the end credits.
— Lorenzo Ciorcalo (@rotovisor) August 31, 2022
For the majority who couldn’t attend the film festival, the film will have a theatrical release starting on November 25. White Noise’s Netflix premiere will take place on December 30.
ALSO READ: Neil Gaiman Tells How Netflix Filmed The Unfilmable Comic, His Baby ‘The Sandman’
Were you at the premiere of the film? If yes, share your thoughts in the comments. If you couldn’t, let us know what you think about the premise of the film. In the meantime, watch Marriage Story on Netflix to appreciate Noah Baumbach’s craft as a filmmaker.
