White Noise

Seen through the lens of a post-pandemic world of paranoia and social upheaval, White Noise is both amusing and disturbing in its apocalyptic spectacle.

Of course, this gonzo satire from director Noah Baumbach (Marriage Story) is adapted from Don DeLillo’s postmodern 1985 novel, so there’s much more to digest than the “airborne toxic event” that drives its doomsday plot.

Thematically ambitious and emotionally aloof, this unconventional genre mashup is not for all tastes yet overflows with a thrilling creative vision that matches its fresh relevance.

Set in the 1980s, the story is divided into loosely connected segments that bounce between grounded reality and surreal fantasy.

We’re introduced to Jack (Adam Driver), a college professor renowned for his Hitler expertise and lectures who is raising a blended family with his fourth wife, Babette (Greta Gerwig). He confides in a colleague (Don Cheadle) whose philosophical outlook borders on conspiracy theory.

Jack and Babette share symptoms of hypochondria, which make them especially vulnerable to the effects of a chemical spill that prompts a mass evacuation and rumors that exposure could lead to fatality.

As they obsess over their impending demise, more secrets are revealed about the couple involving an experimental drug and a possibly linked infidelity subplot that make normalcy seem impossible.

Baumbach’s multilayered screenplay maintains a light touch, juggling disparate tones to corral the sprawling and uneven source material into a more linear narrative structure. Baumbach is clearly a fan.

The film conveys nostalgic charm with an affectionate depiction of the period — with a big-box supermarket as the spiritual center of its absurdist universe — alongside its cynical view of the human condition when it transitions into a trippy survival saga.

However, the film doesn’t bog down in intellectual stuffiness while ruminating on technology, mortality, consumerism, religion, academia, medical experimentation, mental health, fractured families, and more. Finding a deeper meaning is not a prerequisite for enjoying the ride.

Driver again showcases his versatility, as does Gerwig in a rare turn in front of the camera, even if their motormouthed characters are not easy targets for sympathy.

Although White Noise seems uncertain about how all the pieces fit together, it rewards moviegoers on the same offbeat wavelength. And it ends with a joyful production number set to an LCD Soundsystem song that is simply mesmerizing.

Rated R, 136 minutes.