Aahana Swrup
Directed by Steffen Geypens, ‘Noise’ is a Belgian mystery drama with some psychological thriller elements. It stars Sallie Harmsen, Ward Kerremans, and Johan Leysen. Our protagonist, Matthias, is a social media influencer who moves into his childhood home with his partner, Liv, and baby Julius. An unannounced visit from Matthias’s father, Pol, leads to a conversation between him and Matthias about Pol’s old factory and the horrible accident that had occurred there. Curious to know more about this incident, Matthias starts looking into the old factory and soon becomes uncontrollably obsessed with finding the truth. As Matthias becomes engrossed with his investigation, he eventually discovers dark, terrible family secrets.
With a focus on unaddressed childhood trauma and how it affects one’s journey to parenthood, this movie explores many relatable, real-world topics, even though it does so through a fog of exaggerated horror. The story of an influencer investigating a small-town scandal also sounds like a very familiar tale. With so much mystery and intrigue surrounding the plot, it’s easy to wonder if the events unfolding on the screen are true. Here’s everything we know about ‘Noise’ and its link to reality.
Noise: A Writers’ Original, Beyond Real Events
No, Noise is not based on a true story. The storyline is an original idea of the writers Steffen Geypens, Robin Kerremans, and Hasse Steenssens. ‘Noise’ is not Geypens’s first time dipping his toes in a cinematic exploration of a father-son relationship. This movie primarily revolves around Matthias and his relationship with both his father, Pol, and his son, Julius. In Geypens’s 2018 short film titled, ‘Silent Campine,’ he explores a very different father-son dynamic between the characters of Juul and his father. However, similar to ‘Noise,’ the plot for ‘Silent Campine’ also centers around a familial relationship and its effects.
In an interview, Geypens once shared how he himself had a very complicated relationship with his father. It’s possible that when writing the character of Matthias and his struggle with generational trauma, Geypens drew inspiration from some of his own experiences to lend the narrative some authenticity and realism. Though Matthias loses some of his relatability as he progresses down his obsessive, maddening path, the core point of his character’s conflict is something very easy for audiences to connect with.
Though ‘Noise’ blankets its emotionally driven plot behind an eerie and ominous idea of a conspiracy, its effects are still felt throughout the movie. Any sense of familiarity or realism is furthered by the mysterious nature of the factory cover-up plot. Not only is this storyline something often explored in fiction, but we see glimpses of it appear in real life as well. And oftentimes, people obsess over uncovering such schemes too— though not on the same manic level that Matthias falls down to.
Additionally, the way ‘Noise’ depicts the trials and tribulations of relationships and amateur parenthood is also something many people can perhaps relate to. Liv and Matthias start the movie as a seemingly perfect couple, but their relationship soon dissolves into a deeply flawed and troubled one. The petty arguments regarding work and earnings, Matthias’s insecurity in his job, and frustration with the sleepless nights that come with a newborn baby— these are all things most people have either experienced themselves or seen other people go through.
Ultimately, ‘Noise’ does not have any firm root in reality. However, once its horror psychotic layers are peeled back, and the characters are seen on surface value, they portray very realistic and approachable lives. With themes of parenthood, familial trauma, and conspiracies at its center, ‘Noise’ shares many similarities with real life. Through engaging and suspenseful writing and disinterest in involving supernatural elements in the plot, ‘Noise’ manages to tell a mysterious yet familiar tale about family and trauma. The narrative smoothly finds a way to reflect some reality in the plotlines and the characters without necessarily taking direct inspiration from any one instance.
Read More: Where Was Netflix Movie Noise Filmed?
