White Noise

White Noise (2005)

  • 9% of critics liked it
    (147 reviews)

  • 44% of users liked it
    (171,765 ratings)

Divorced architect Jonathan Rivers (Michael Keaton) seems to lead a pretty good life with partial custody of his young son and a happy second marriage to Anna (Chandra West), a best-selling author. Things take an ugly turn when Anna disappears during a thunderstorm, apparently the victim of a freak… More

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PG-13,
Directed By
Written By
Niall Johnson
Genres
Drama, Horror, Mystery & Suspense
In Theaters
Jan 7, 2005 Wide
Universal Pictures

Critic Reviews

  • Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader

    Though I'm well disposed toward elliptical spook stories that depend on the audience's imagination for their jolts and effects, it takes art as well as craft to put them across, and Geoffrey Sax's direction of a Niall Johnson script has neither.

  • Christy Lemire, Associated Press

    White noise is intended to help you fall asleep. White Noise would never let you do that, though. It's far too interested in a cacophony of cheap scares.

  • Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

    Thrill-free thriller.

  • James Berardinelli, ReelViews

    There's no horror to speak of.

  • Stephanie Zacharek, Salon.com

    Even if its dorky climax throws you out of the mood again, there are staticky bits of White Noise that still manage to cling.

Read all 17 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

  • Universal D


    Sort of an interesting premise (a deeply grieving husband is contacted by his recently deceased wife) but like a lot of supernatural thrillers its creepy set-up is ultimately better than its delivery. The cast and crew does well but the script has little for them to finish with.

  • Directors C


    It boasts a very interesting premise and it does have its own scares and thrills. Backed up by convincing acting it's not as bad as its put out to be. The problem with White Noise however is its muzzled plotline that can sometimes be a bit of distraction from listening.

  • Jeff "


    White Noise is a decent psychological horror film that has a good premise, but the plots at times doesn't really work. However the film is held together by a good cast that includes Michael Keaton and Deborah Kara Unger. The film has enough momentum to entertain you, and the plot… More

  • Mike S


    We don't see Michael Keaton in a lot of movies these days. Seems his career is about as dead as the deceased souls he communicates with in this one. At any rate, as far as horror stories go, this is sadly nothing special. I do have a wide interest in the subject matter -… More

  • vieras e


    The first hour is solid gold, but then everything goes south and fast.

Read all 20 featured audience ratings

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Cast

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