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Noise

You should really turn this one down

By Geoff Berkshire

Metromix
May 8, 2008

Critic's Rating:

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Manhattan resident David (Tim Robbins) is growing sick of city living, specifically the daily overload of noise—construction, honking, shouting and especially car alarms. So he assumes the vigilante guise of "The Rectifier" and vandalizes people's cars as revenge for their annoying alarms. That doesn't go over well with his wife (Bridget Moynahan) or the mayor (William Hurt).

Big question: Of all the problems in the world today we get a movie about car alarms? Seriously?

Skip it: "Noise" marks a radical change of pace from writer-director Henry Bean's previous film—the compelling neo-Nazi melodrama "The Believer," which helped launch Ryan Gosling's career as a serious actor. Fortunately Bean isn't taking himself or his material as seriously this time around, but unfortunately his attempts at social satire never fully connect.

Catch it: If you believe there's no such thing as a small cause and understand David's point when he tells his skeptical wife "What if Jonas Salk had this attitude toward polio?"

Bottom line: Robbins brings an appropriately light touch to his role but Bean can't find anything fresh to say about urban anxiety. The movie only grows more ridiculous as David becomes a full blown menace to society (he even somehow winds up in a threesome with two young beautiful foreigners inbetween illegal activities).

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