Sound of Noise (2012)

86% of critics liked it
(21 reviews)
79% of users liked it
(1,594 ratings)

Police officer Amadeus Warnebring was born into a musical family with a long history of famous musicians. Ironically, he hates music. His life is thrown into chaos when a band of crazy musicians decides to perform a musical apocalypse using the city as their orchestra... Reluctantly, Warnebring… More Police officer Amadeus Warnebring was born into a musical family with a long history of famous musicians. Ironically, he hates music. His life is thrown into chaos when a band of crazy musicians decides to perform a musical apocalypse using the city as their orchestra... Reluctantly, Warnebring embarks on his first musical investigation... -- (C) Official Site

Play Trailer

Directed By: Ola Simonsson, Johannes Stjärne Nilsson
Written By: Ola Simonsson, Jim Birmant
Genres: Action & Adventure, Romance, Art House & International, Comedy, Musical & Performing Arts, Mystery & Suspense

In Theaters: Mar 9, 2012 Limited
Studio: Magnolia Pictures

Critic Reviews

Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star Tribune
Great premise, middling execution.
William Goss, Film.com
A high-concept, high-energy lark.
David DeWitt, New York Times
"Sound of Noise" is a dry treat - a solid, self-aware cult pleasure.
Sheri Linden, Los Angeles Times
Filmmakers Ola Simonsson and Johannes Stjärne Nilsson and their engaging cast pull off the feat with no strain and a surprising amount of heart.
Moira MacDonald, Seattle Times
"Sound of Noise" is like no heist movie you've ever seen; these bandits want only to transform a city into a canvas for their special brand of aural art.
Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News
The energy flags whenever the vandals are at rest, and a romantic subplot feels like an afterthought. But Nilsson is a delight, and the filmmakers' own creativity transforms shock into awe.
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
It never achieves much coherence when it tries for more than slapstick comedy.
Robert Roten, Laramie Movie Scope
I've seen a lot of detective stories, but never one about a detective trying to track down a bunch of performance artists who are playing illegal music.
Witney Seibold, CraveOnline
The premise is so delightfully strange, it almost sounds like an Etgar Keret short story, or maybe even a playful exercise by Gabriel García Márquez.
Marjorie Baumgarten, Austin Chronicle
The film's joke is kind of one-note, although it maintains an exhilarating beat throughout. If Sound of Noise is the rhythm of the new city symphony, play on.
Chris Hewitt (St. Paul), St. Paul Pioneer Press
A buoyant comedy that never hits a wrong note.
Nora Lee Mandel, Film-Forward.com
While this rollicking comedy about musical terrorists cleverly satirizes movie conventions of cops and capers, the creative crimes look and sound wonderfully unique.
Noel Murray, AV Club
Part quirky comedy, part existential mystery, part flash-mob musical.
Brian Orndorf, BrianOrndorf.com
Sound of Noise provides plenty of excitement and rumble, executed with a considerable screen flair that manages oddity and a crooked sense of liberation with stunning flexibility.
Jesse Cataldo, Slant Magazine
The film is ultimately winning because of its devilish anarchic streak, aiming its arrows at the stuffiness of the traditional musical establishment.

Read all 15 critic reviews

See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

Greg S

A music-hating, tone deaf detective from a family of musical prodigies tracks down a gang of musical terrorists staging disruptive performances across Stockholm. If David Lynch directed the Swedish cast of STOMP in an action-comedy, I think it would go a little something like this...
Eric B

Essentially, "Sound of Noise" is an average movie blessed with a good gimmick. This Swedish comedy follows two terrorist musicians who recruit four oddball drummers to help perform a city-wide, avant-garde "piece." The renegade composition spans four movements,… More
Essentially, "Sound of Noise" is an average movie blessed with a good gimmick. This Swedish comedy follows two terrorist musicians who recruit four oddball drummers to help perform a city-wide, avant-garde "piece." The renegade composition spans four movements, each set at a different location (the first is an operating room), as the trespassing ensemble exploits onsite tools to craft complex, percussive grooves. In other words, this film is a must-see for "Stomp" fans. The group is pursued by the ironically named Amadeus (Bengt Nilsson), a mousy, insecure detective whose life just happens to have a major musical issue -- his genius brother is a world-renowned conductor, while he himself is frustratingly tone-deaf. His handicap is depicted in a strange, surreal way -- apparently, whenever a neighborhood item is incorporated into the percussion troupe's mischief, he permanently loses the ability to hear it. This storytelling element fails to lead anywhere and isn't as evocative as the filmmakers hope. Another problem is that the pivotal guerrilla performances grow larger and larger in scope yet become less and less interesting as music. If you can't spare the 102 minutes, just look up the musical scenes on YouTube. You won't be missing much.
Matt S

Saw this during HIFF in October. It's a French/Swedish import if I remember correctly and it's about musician terrorists. Yes, you read correctly, musical terrorists. While you do have acknowledge and accept the absurdity, it's definitely a fun ride.

Currently unavailable on Flixster

Also available on

Other Retailers

Buy $9.99, Rent $3.99

Subscription Services

Stream Now

Not Available

Cast

See more (14)

Sound of Noise (2012)

Critic Reviews

Featured Audience Ratings

Greg S

Eric B

Matt S

Also available on

Other Retailers

Subscription Services

Cast

Trailers & Clips

Watch offline from your computer

Flixster Desktop

Watch on your TV

Google TV

Microsoft XBOX 360

Sony Playstation 3

Watch on your tablet

iPad

Kindle Fire, Kindle Nook

Android tablets

Watch on your phone

iPhone, iPod Touch

Android phones

Are you sure?

Google TV Get the Flixster app , then sign in	Microsoft XBOX 360 Get the Vudu app, connect to UltraViolet. Rentals currently not available. Flixster app coming soon!
Sony Playstation 3 Get the Vudu app, connect to UltraViolet. Rentals currently not available. Flixster app coming soon!

iPad Get the Flixster app , then sign in	Kindle Fire, Kindle Nook Get the Flixster app , then sign in
Android tablets Get the Flixster app , then sign in