Review of White Noise (2022) by Jamess — 01 Jan 2023
Taking place in the mid-80s (Krull is the feature at the local theater), White Noise, Noah Baumbach's collaboration/adaptation with Don DeLilo, feels very '80s but is so relevant today. Baumbach fills his wide-screen frame with dinner scenes that feel Altmanesque, with overlapping dialogue.
Action scenes that have the orchestrated chaos of Spielberg. And the nods to Baumbach favorite (and one of mine also) Brian DePalma. There's an homage to the 360 degree spinning scene from Blow Out. A split diopter scene (extreme foreground and background in focus).
Most importantly, the dry satire DePalma incorporated in so many films. Driver proves to be one of the most versatile actors working, and Gerwig matches him every step of the way. Life, death and consumerism as viewed post an "airborne toxic event ", that mirrors pre-and-"post" pandemic life nowadays.
The entire cast, including Don Cheadle as a professor of Elvis, is excellent. Knowing DeLilo's book was considered unfilmable for years, kudos to Baumbach for tackling the task and doing so well. And kudos to the production department for creating what looks to be the world's largest supermarket.
Stay for the end credits for the dance scene that targets consumerism.
This review of White Noise (2022) was written by Jamess on 01 January 2023.
White Noise has generally received mixed reviews.
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