The Ultimate Playlist Of Noise Movie Review (2021)
A road trip drama about a teenager setting out to capture meaningful sounds before losing his hearing, The Ultimate Playlist of Noise is an uneven but heartfelt story that builds to a genuinely moving final act.
When this movie was first released on streaming, I immediately added it to my watchlist. I liked the cover, and it reminded me of The Map Of Tiny Perfect Things. I was guessing that they were similar YA small-adventure films and, for some reason, categorized them together in my mind. And while I still understand why I did that, I wasn’t quite as right as I thought I would be.
The Ultimate Playlist Of Noise is about Marcus, a teenager who loves music and has dedicated himself to enjoying the music collection of his older brother, who died in a fire while saving Marcus. When Marcus finds out that he will have to have brain surgery to remove a tumor, he also learns that saving his life will require removing the parts of his anatomy that deliver auditory function. And thus, he goes on a road trip to record all the sounds he finds the most amazing, so he can share them with others after he loses his hearing. He plans to head to New York, where a recording studio has a tape recorded by his brother, and, just as he is driving off, he picks up a hitchhiker who is also on her way to New York.
This is a fairly predictable YA road trip film that is both formulaic and heartfelt. The first hour is exactly what you expect it to be. It’s cute, light, and very boy-meets-girl-what-will-happen standard fare. But the last half hour is hugely moving. I thought I had a handle on the story’s simplicity, and then I found myself crying on two separate occasions. That was a pleasant surprise.
One of the best things about The Ultimate Playlist Of Noise is its heavy focus on sound. By the name of the movie, one would assume that’s what might happen, but the use and appreciation of various sounds, as well as sound itself, is a unique feature that I can only compare with Blow Out. Very few films are as self-aware as these two in this way, and it’s notable.
The actors are good here, with starring roles by Keean Johnson (Alita: The Battle Angel) and Madeline Brewer (The Handmaid’s Tale), but it was when I saw Emily Skeggs as one of Marcus’s friends that I did a double-take. If you have a starring role in Dinner In America – one of my very favorite films – and you choose another project to do, I’m already here for it. I LOVE Emily Skeggs. But I digress.
The Ultimate Playlist Of Noise is a tonally inconsistent, sensory-driven film that is light enough to watch at any time, but will suck you in towards the end. I enjoyed it, and while I expected it to be just one more YA film to throw on the shelf, it turned out to be a story that will stick with me. Check it out.
Runtime: 99 minutes
Motion Picture Rating: TVMA
Languages Spoken In The Film: English
Should You Watch It? Yes
Did I Cry? Yep, twice
My Rating: 3.25/5 Stars
Available: Free on Hulu and Disney+ or may be available for free on other streaming platforms
