"Whiplash"

Title: Whiplash
Director: Damien Chazelle
Writer: Damien Chazelle
Category: Music, Drama
Duration: 109 min
Rate:

"Marcus that is not your boyfriend's dick..don't come early"

If any of you have the faintest idea to learn how to professionally play the drum, don't watch this movie. If, like me, you are not self-confident and you don't believe in yourself, watch it with caution. However, suffering alongside the protagonist of the movie is really worth it because Whiplash is a must see. This is another movie that deserved all the Oscar nomination that it got during this award season. Chazelle did a great job in writing and directing this movie, and the effort was well paid off.

The story is focused on Andrew, a young drummer who wants to become the best after enrolling in a prestigious music academy. His eyes are set on the ultimate price, to be shaped by the best instructor the conservatory has, Fletcher, a merciless musician who believes in teaching his students with an iron fist. Throughout the movie he humiliates, pushes to the breaking point and mentally abuses not only Andrew but all his other students as well, in order to prepare them for the harsh world outside. Andrew's passion quickly becomes an obsession, he pushes himself harder and harder, hurting himself with only one goal in his mind: to be the best and to show Fletcher that he can handle anything he throws at him, including a chair (yes that happened for real).

While I was watching this movie I had to stop a couple of times because it was really raw and hard. J. K. Simmons outdid himself. His performance was outstanding. He fills the shoes of the toughest, cruel and meanest instructor perfectly. Even when he was hardly yelling in his students' face, he was able to make me feel humiliated just for watching the way in which he violently reproached them. His performance felt real. I found myself staring at the screen speechless every time he started verbally and physically assaulting each student in his orchestra. He is a cold man, someone who knows he is the best at what he does and always watches everyone from the podium.

Regarding the cinematography, I believe that the close up shots were helpful to make the audience empathize with Andrew. Miles Teller was an amazing surprise for me, he was the only one that proved to the audience that his character could be a match for Fletcher and he, as an actor, was able to not be swallowed by  J. K. Simmons' talent. His performance was heartfelt and surreal. His effort to show Andrew's commitment to his passion, his drive to both please Fletcher and prove him wrong were visible not only through his eyes, but also through his body and determination. This same drive will also be Andrew's force that will push him to his breaking point. His character evolves throughout the movie. From being a good drummer who wants to make a living out of his passion he becomes obsessed with showing to Fletcher that he is not a waste, that he is good enough, or better yet that he is the best. By the end of the movie he is too far gone and overly focused on proving to everyone that he can make it, including his father who doesn't support him, that he doesn't care if in doing so he is risking his sanity and alienating himself. Drumming becomes his sole purpose and the rest is bound to fade back. So much so that he finds himself alone, without anyone supporting or believing in him, because he pushed everyone away.

Along with the outstanding performances and the good cinematography the soundtrack is another work of art. It makes everything more poignant and gives a fast pace to the movie.

All in all I consider Whiplash a must see because it can be considered as an honest representation of what it takes to really make it in one of the meanest industries.

Till next time,

Fred

Here the trailer: