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Michael Keaton, Chandra West, Deborah Kara Unger, Ian McNeice, Sarah Strange ... see more see more... , Nicholas Elia , Mike Dopud , Marsha Regis , Micki Maunsell , Suzanne Ristic , Peter Bryant , Anthony Harrison , April Telek , Benita Ha , Bruce Dawson , L. Harvey Gold , Amber Rothwell , Mitchell Kosterman , Aaron Douglas , Brad Sihvon , Keegan Connor Tracy , Miranda Frigon , Anastasia Corbett , Ross Birchall , Bill Tarling , Chuck Walkinshaw , Colin Chapin , Michale Ascher

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. Th... read more read more...ings take an ugly turn when Anna disappears during a thunderstorm, apparently the victim of a freak accident. Eventually, her body is found, and Jonathan sinks into despair. Then he meets Raymond (Ian McNeice), who claims that Anna has contacted him through EVP, or electronic voice phenomena. Raymond explains that the dead can communicate from beyond via static on common electronic equipment like radios and televisions. Jonathan is skeptical until he starts getting phone calls from Anna's inactive cell phone. He visits Raymond, whose home is filled with audio and video monitors and high-tech recording equipment. There he meets Sarah (Deborah Kara Unger), who has recently received a farewell message from her late fiancé. Jonathan eventually receives what appears to be a communication from Anna, but soon afterward, Raymond turns up dead. Obsessed with maintaining contact with his late wife, Jonathan visits a psychic (Connor Tracy) who warns him that he's going down a dangerous path, "meddling" in the affairs of the dead. Undaunted, Jonathan continues to study EVP and eventually finds that he's getting messages from people who haven't died...yet. White Noise was directed by Geoffrey Sax from an original script by Niall Johnson. ~ Josh Ralske, Rovi

Flixster Users

44% liked it

171,765 ratings

Critics

9% liked it

147 critics

PG-13, 1 hr. 38 min.

Directed by: Geoffrey Sax

Release Date: January 7, 2005

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DVD Release Date: May 17, 2005

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Stats: 6,374 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (6,374)

  • moonrivers
    April 2, 2012
    moonrivers
    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.
  • aquateen2
    November 13, 2011
    aquateen2
    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.
  • TheDudeLebowski65
    October 10, 2011
    TheDudeLebowski65
    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... read more is quite interesting. However, it's clear that the film could have been done much better, and the film could have something really great. Instead the end result is a mixed bag. The film is entertaining, but it leaves you wanting more. The ideas on-screen work, but only to a certain degree. Then the films sort of falls apart. I think it's a real shame, because the film had so much potential at being a better film than it is. White Noise is not a terrible film, neither is it a missed opportunity, however it could have been something terrific, but director Geoffrey Sax doesn't know where to go at times with his story, like he's almost not interested in telling an effective, and creepy story. For the most part, White Noise does have good chills and effective tension, however halfway through the middle things get kind of shaky and the story falls apart. After a while the plot becomes boring, and the story lumbers around to a somewhat lacking ending. What was a strong beginning is a disappointing ending to a decent film. The film had the potential of being an effective horror film, but in the end, it's a decent film that has an anticlimactic ending. Entertaining, but flawed, White Noise is good, but suffers from a poor second half.
  • CloudStrife84
    September 4, 2011
    CloudStrife84
    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 - especial... read morely as I have personal experience of contact with the no longer living - but it wasn't quite enough to break it out of the clutches of mediocracy. Fairly intriguing up until the end, where things are regrettably concluded on a very low and unsatisfying note.
  • vierasesine
    June 25, 2011
    vierasesine
    The first hour is solid gold, but then everything goes south and fast.
  • FireStormStudios
    January 12, 2011
    FireStormStudios
    Saw it so long ago I don't remember it completly.
  • BEACHBUNNI
    September 25, 2010
    BEACHBUNNI
    one word b o r i n g !!!
  • FilmFanatik
    February 23, 2010
    FilmFanatik
    Pretty bad.
  • 3niR
    January 21, 2010
    3niR
    Some scenes were scary. But I found the researching thingy was a bit boring.
  • SirPant
    November 27, 2009
    SirPant
    A nice idea, nicely shot but poorly executed. Michael Keaton is quite watchable and the support was ok, it just spoilt a good concept by taking the ghosts out of the computer screens towards the end. It's ok, nothing special but not terrible.

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Critic Reviews

Jonathan Rosenbaum
February 28, 2007
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 dir... Full Review

Christy Lemire
February 26, 2007
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. Full Review

Peter Travers
January 20, 2005
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

Thrill-free thriller.

James Berardinelli
January 15, 2005
James Berardinelli, ReelViews

There's no horror to speak of. Full Review

Stephanie Zacharek
January 15, 2005
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. Full Review

Rex Reed
January 13, 2005
Rex Reed, New York Observer

Too silly to describe, much less analyze. Full Review

Ed Park
January 11, 2005
Ed Park, Village Voice

Vigorously pushes the supernatural line throughout, but unfortunately its final movement is so incoherent that the whole thing collapses. Full Review

Geoff Pevere
January 7, 2005
Geoff Pevere, Toronto Star

When it falters, it does so for the same reason certain otherwise perfectly unnerving recent horror movies have -- because the atmosphere of irrational dread is punctured by the demand for a rational ... Full Review

January 7, 2005
San Francisco Chronicle

Boring horror film. Full Review

Roger Moore
January 7, 2005
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel

Poltergeist (1982) did it first and did it better. But this new stroll through cinematic static is still a sometimes spooky spin on that theme. Full Review

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