White Noise Film: 2005 Horror vs 2022 Absurdist Comedy-Drama

You might think two films sharing a title would have something in common. But the 2005 supernatural horror White Noise and the 2022 absurdist comedy-drama adaptation of Don DeLillo’s novel are worlds apart. One is a cult oddity about communicating with the dead; the other is a critically admired meditation on consumerism and mortality.

Rotten Tomatoes (2022): 61% (critics) ·
Rotten Tomatoes (2005): 8% (critics) ·
IMDb (2022): 6.7/10 ·
IMDb (2005): 4.5/10

Here’s a side-by-side comparison of the two films’ key attributes.

Is White Noise a good film?

Critical reception of White Noise (2022)

The 2022 film has a 61% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes (Rotten Tomatoes) and an average rating of 6.7/10 on IMDb (IMDb). Critics praised the audacity of adapting DeLillo’s dense novel, even if the result is messy. A Deep Focus Review calls it “a faithful but unruly translation.”

Critical reception of White Noise (2005)

The 2005 version holds a 8% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes (Rotten Tomatoes) with a consensus calling it “muddled and unsatisfying.” On Metacritic it scores 30/100 (Metacritic), and audiences gave it a C CinemaScore (Wikipedia / CinemaScore).

Comparison of reviews

• 2005: critically panned but profitable — grossed $91 million on a $10 million budget (Movies and Drinks)
• 2022: critically positive but limited theatrical release before Netflix

The implication: if you trust critics, the 2022 film is the better movie. But the 2005 film found an audience that critics didn’t measure.

What the heck is White Noise about?

Plot of White Noise (2022)

Noah Baumbach’s adaptation follows Jack Gladney (Adam Driver), a professor of Hitler studies, and his wife Babette (Greta Gerwig) as they navigate an “airborne toxic event” that forces their family to confront mortality and consumer culture. The film opens with a lecture about car crashes as a symbol of innocence (Deep Focus Review).

Plot of White Noise (2005)

Michael Keaton plays Jonathan Rivers, an architect who begins receiving electronic voice phenomena (EVP) from his deceased wife. He becomes obsessed with communicating through static, leading to supernatural encounters. The film relies on jump scares and eerie audio-visual gimmicks (Wikipedia).

The catch: one is a meditation on death; the other is a ghost story with a twist of early-2000s tech paranoia.

How scary is the movie White Noise?

White Noise (2005) – horror elements

The 2005 film is a straight supernatural horror with jump scares, shadowy figures, and EVP recordings. Critics agree that the first two-thirds are genuinely creepy, but the finale devolves into a muddled mess (Movies and Drinks).

White Noise (2022) – genre and tone

The 2022 film is not horror at all. It’s a comedic drama with apocalyptic undertones — think Don’t Look Up meets Marriage Story. Expect absurdist dialogue and dance sequences, not scares. Why this matters: if you want a spooky night, pick the 2005 film. If you want smart satire, choose 2022.

Is White Noise 2005 worth watching?

Reasons to watch

• Michael Keaton delivers a committed performance (Movies and Drinks)
• It has cult appeal for fans of early 2000s horror
• Box office success proves it resonated with mainstream audiences

Criticisms

• Rotten Tomatoes 8% critic score — widely panned
• Described as “convoluted and forgettable” (The Nicsperiment)
• The ending is routinely called unsatisfying

Audience response

Despite the critics, IMDb user ratings give it 4.5/10, and some online forums defend it as “so bad it’s good”. The pattern: the 2005 film is a perfect example of a critic-proof commercial hit — terrible reviews, but it made money and found a niche.

What is the cast of White Noise?

Cast of White Noise (2022)

• Adam Driver as Jack Gladney
• Greta Gerwig as Babette Gladney
• Don Cheadle as Murray Siskind

Cast of White Noise (2005)

• Michael Keaton as Jonathan Rivers
• Deborah Kara Unger as Sarah Tate
• Chandra West as Anna Rivers
• Ian McNeice as Raymond Price

For more on ensemble casts in horror and drama, see Cast Of It Chapter 1 and Cast Of Final Destination Bloodlines.

The contrasting casts reflect the films’ distinct genres and audiences.

“The film is a faithful but unruly translation of DeLillo’s novel — sprawling, chaotic, and occasionally brilliant.”

— Deep Focus Review (Review of White Noise 2022)

“The first two-thirds are genuinely creepy, but then it turns into a muddled mess.”

— Movies and Drinks (White Noise 2005 review)

“Baumbach’s version is a Netflix blockbuster with unexpected acclaim.”

— MovieTime YouTube (White Noise 2022 discussion)

For the horror enthusiast looking for a throwback, the 2005 White Noise offers a campy, commercial ghost story that succeeded despite the critics. For the viewer who wants a thoughtful, visually ambitious adaptation of a modern classic, the 2022 film is the clear choice. Horror fans should watch the 2005 film for a campy ghost story, while fans of satirical drama will prefer Baumbach’s 2022 adaptation. The decision comes down to which mood you’re in.

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