About 20 minutes in, I knew that this was going to be one of those wet noodle movies that's neither good enough nor bad enough to amount to anything. There's too many characters, too little plot and a lead actress who looks like she should be playing the smart alec waitress in somebody else's romantic comedy. It's not a thriller, it's not a relationship drama, it's not a look into the heart of urban dysfunction or an examination of personal degeneration. Noise is just a whole lotta nothing.Joyce Chandler (Trish Goff) is an aloof and colorless young woman who just got divorced from her middle aged husband Elliot (David Thornton). She's just moved into the second floor of a somewhat run down three story building, sandwiched between the ground floor furniture store run by a charming dude named Hank (Giancarlo Esposito) and an upstairs neighbor named Charlotte Bancroft (Ally Sheedy) who torments Joyce with loud noises in the middle of the night. In between Joyce working as a copy editor and attending a divorced women's group that turns into something out of China's Cultural Revolution, we learn why her marriage with Elliot ended and watch her upstairs neighbor turn into a slut. Then the film just sort of ends and tries to act like it's all been about this war of manners gone out of control between Joyce and Charlotte, even though they hardly spoke to each other through the whole thing.Noise is an adaptation of a novel, which is usually problematic. Any good book, especially if it's more literary than genre work, is going to contain far more than can fit into a movie. These filmmakers appear to have made the classic mistake of trying to get a little bit of everything from the novel onto the screen, with the expected result that none of it amounts to anything. Instead of giving us a single story, Noise tosses a bunch of individual chapters at the viewer and leaves you with the sense that you're missing something. I mean, this tale ends with a police investigation and introduces a detective character played by Adam Ferrara about halfway through. But at the end, instead of using that guy to wrap things up, a different and never before seen or referenced detective character played by John Slattery is brought on stage and he's the one who brings down the curtain. Not only does that make no dramatic sense, but the fact Noise finishes up with a dodge that tosses realism and logic out the window is only underscored by having somebody the audience has never seen or heard before bring it about.The bits and pieces here are okay. The direction is fine, the dialog is all right but unexceptional, the pacing is adequate and the acting is acceptable. Trish Goff is nearly blown off the screen by Ally Sheedy, but that's somewhat on purpose because Charlotte is an obviously unstable person while Joyce is unlikable and unexpressive. Making your main character unlikable and unexpressive is a pretty fatal combination, however.Noise isn't aggravating or irritating. It's also isn't interesting or provocative. Neither dark nor light, hot nor cold, this production is wan and tepid. I've seen some punishingly hideous films that were an affront to the Human spirit, but I'd rather watch one of them again than this cinematic non-entity.

Late Christmas eve (2006), flipping through the cable I stumbled upon this creepy film that totally captivated me. How is it that crappy so-called psychological thrillers like PACIFIC HEIGHTS that aren't half as intriguing as NOISE get proper film releases? OK, the film isn't great but it was a good thriller about having the neighbor from hell living in the above apartment. Ally Sheedy was perfect as the crazy neighbor. Trish Goth displays the emotionally abused downstairs tenant. The believability factor is a bit of a stretch but it works. The film looks like it was made on a shoestring budget but that also works in favor of the film. It's gritty, just like the town where the story takes place (NYC)...you'll think twice before ever moving into a cozy little apartment!This isn't Polanski or DePalma but it sure made an impact on me. Catch it on cable or go out and rent it...you won't be disappointed!

A commenter above, Blackwallnut, hit the nail on the head. Ally Sheedy turns in a terrific performance as a neurotic neighbor, and she even comes off as frightening in her last scene. Giancarlo Esposito also does a fine job portraying Hank, the helpful shopkeeper. The problem with the film, however, is the lead--Trish Goff. I thought half the time that she sounded Australian, and, for the most part, her performance lacked emotion. Even when she provided some, it seemed strained and contrived. I also found the British lady with the filthy mouth to be tiresome after a while. With another actress, I suspect we'd have seen a better project. I don't think you can blame the director--unless he cast the lead, of course.

5 stars out of 10 Parts of this didn't quite make sense to me - I'm not sure whether that's my fault or the film's fault.Trish Goff, who looks borderline anorexic to me, plays Joyce Chandler a tense young woman, who may be wound a little too tight, but otherwise seems to be essentially normal, moves into an apartment following her divorce.She soon has a job with Gotham Publishing as a copy writer. Joyce has a large group of female friends as well, and things should be lining out for her, but she has a problem.The problem is her upstairs neighbor, Charlotte Bancroft (Ally Sheedy), who tends to be noisy late at night and very early in the morning.At first it appears things may work out - as Charlotte is ever so apologetic and understanding. Charlotte's understanding of Joyce's problem doesn't last long, however.When Joyce goes up to Charlotte's apartment to discuss matters, Charlotte seems to be oblivious to the fact there is still a problem and just thinks she and Joyce should be pals.Joyce decides to run a raunchy personal ad under Charlotte's name and phone number. Soon Charlotte has men galore in her apartment and is noisier than ever with the sexual escapades.I was never able to figure out just how Joyce thought this was going to solve her problem all that much. If it had been me, I'd have been rather nervous at all these strange men coming in and out of the apartment building.However, perhaps Joyce was more psychic than myself.Meanwhile Joyce has taken to drinking, which really isn't helping things, and her job is going badly for her.There is a scene between Charlotte and Joyce where Charlotte is extremely sadistic and domineering and Joyce just meekly allows it. I didn't understand that at all.There is a conclusion to Charlotte and Joyce's problem, but the ending is somewhat non-conclusive otherwise.There are other murky things that came up in regards to Joyce's past, and she becomes involved with a couple of men, but none of it ever really played any particular part in the main plot, and remained unexplained.