White Noise is a faithful adaptation of Don DeLillo’s 1985 novel, but it suffers from a significant amount of loss in the process of translation. Adam Driver and Noah Baumbach, who worked together on the gloomy film “Marriage Story,” follow it up with “White Noise,” which is a considerably quirkier Netflix movie. Baumbach’s pandemic-inspired undertones resonate on that level, but “White Noise” is played in such a stilted manner that it is quite simple to tune out.
Greta Gerwig, who has been very busy making her own imprint as a director, including the upcoming “Barbie,” was cast in the picture, which lends the movie a personal quality, and was Baumbach’s partner at the time of its production. Her off-kilter performance, in a way, encapsulates both the David Lynchian aspect that Baumbach was attempting to achieve as well as how it misfires, feeling precious in a way that makes it difficult to buy into much of what is on screen. In other words, her performance captures both the David Lynchian aspect that Baumbach was seeking to achieve as well as how it misfires.
Driver plays Jack Gladney, a college professor of Hitler studies. He has the kind of “dad bod” that does not exactly dovetail with all of the social media desire aimed at him. He is currently married to Babette (Gerwig), his fourth wife, and they have four children together from their previous marriages. He also has a group of pompous and highly educated acquaintances, the most famous of whom is played by Don Cheadle.
Trouble soon begins to intrude on their strange little bubble, including a toxic spill with potentially dire consequences (your pandemic metaphor, lest anyone miss it) and Jack’s growing suspicions regarding his wife’s behavior, which strains their relationship despite the fact that they are perfect for each other in an odd way.
While Kanye West and others have complicated the always-dangerous notion of using Hitler as a sly punchline, the satirical view of eccentric academics feels like the movie’s most sure-footed gag. Baumbach has developed a well-deserved reputation as an auteur with films such as “The Squid and the Whale” and “The Meyerowitz Stories.” A number of Woody Allen’s films come to mind frequently when watching this movie because of the Hitler element, the movie’s fixation on death, and the way the main characters interact with one another.
Everything else, including the looming danger of a chemical disaster and the anarchy that follows in its wake, as well as the difficulty in paradise that threatens Jack and Babette’s marriage, is very much a waste of time and effort.
By providing funding for movies that were previously unlikely to succeed at the box office, Netflix has established itself as a safe haven for high-end filmmakers. In exchange for creative independence, the agreement grants the streaming service the ability to pursue media attention and the commercial opportunities that come with being included in the film awards competition.
The collaboration resulted in “Marriage Story,” which was nominated for a total of six Academy Awards, proving that both parties benefited from the arrangement. This time around, Baumbach has failed to live up to his end of the bargain, resulting in a film that is unworthy of its moniker.
On December 30, “White Noise” will make its debut on Netflix.