Netflix Just Added a Divisive New Movie This Week

A new Netflix original film hit the platform this weekend, and curious viewers may find mixed reviews if they look ahead. White Noise is directed by Noah Baumbach and stars Adam Driver, Greta Gerwig, Don Cheadle, Raffey Cassidy, Sam Nivola and May Nivola. Since its first screening in August, critics have been at odds about this film.

White Noise is an adaptation of a 1985 novel of the same name written by Don DeLillo. It is considered DeLillo’s breakout work and therefore means a lot to his biggest fans. The story is about a suburban family in the 1980s fleeing their home when it is ravaged by an accidental chemical spill. DeLillo’s book is often referenced as a prime example of postmodern literature, meaning that it incorporates metafiction and intertextuality to direct its reader’s interpretations, while Baumbach’s movie has a controversial absurdist bent to it.

At the time of this writing, White Noise has 184 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes and 63 percent of them are positive. The average score is 6.5 out of 10. General audiences have been less receptive to this quirky film – only 43 percent of Rotten Tomatoes users left positive ratings. The critics’ consensus reads: “White Noise may occasionally struggle with its allegedly unfilmable source material, but Noah Baumbach succeeds in finding the humorous heart of its surprisingly timely story.”

It seems that even critics who gave White Noise low ratings found plenty to like about the movie, but they were frustrated with inconsistencies in its tone and execution. These complaints often boiled down to the screenplay – written by Baumbach, who has mainly written original screenplays up until now. The only other adaptation he has worked on was Fantastic Mr. Fox.

Baumbach has a long and illustrious resume in Hollywood. According to IMDb, his best-known movies are The Squid and the Whale, Marriage Story, Frances Ha and Mistress America. He both wrote and directed all three of those, and has earned a reputation for working closely with Driver.

Considering DeLillo’s powerful reputation in the world of literature, Baumbach may have simply chosen the wrong novel for his first adaptation. It’s not clear if DeLillo, now 86 years old, helped work on the adaptation at all. White Noise was added to Netflix on Friday, Dec. 30 and is still playing in select theaters around the U.S. as well.