I watched Whiplash way before its official release in Malaysian cinemas. And when it was announced that it would be released on the 12th of March, my thoughts were something along the line of "About bloody time."
Whiplash doesn't go down the conventional road that most films about music usually take. Most films of this type would tell you that the greatest and most important driving force behind a musician is a passion for the art (or something along that line), but it's hard to tell whether or not this passion exists in Whiplash. Andrew Neiman (Miles Teller), a first-year at Shaffer Conservatory, is recruited into the school's studio band by Terence Fletcher (J.K. Simmons) who is the conductor. You'd think Fletcher to be a pretty chill guy in real life, that the real him is not like draconian tyrant in the music room, and he eases the newcomer Andrew with small talk, telling him to "relax" and "have fun".
That is until he decides to hurl a chair at him before hurling even worse insults. Insults that were twisted from Andrew's personal details and exploits his weaknesses and insecurities.
Whiplash is a thrilling ride, an intense journey of a boy doing all it takes to earn the approval of his Devil of a mentor; a harrowing journey of a man searching for his own prodigy, his own Charlie Parker, even if it means he has to destroy said prodigy first.
You'll feel personally victimised alongside Andrew when Fletcher starts barreling abuses at him, but it's satisfying when Andrew fights back in small, small measures until that grand finale.
And I do mean grand. By the end of all of it, you'd find that you've forgotten to breathe.
It's no surprise that Simmons walked home with an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor after watching him in this movie. He does an absolutely incredible job portraying the menacing Fletcher. (FYI, Fletcher's character was inspired by director Damien Chazelle's music teacher from high school) It's not hard to be lulled into a false sense of security when he's tender and kindly, allowing yourself to think, "Maybe he's not a bad person..?", only to have those thoughts crushed when you realise how terrifying he actually is when he does things that can only be described as evil. It's a bit of a Jekyll and Hyde story, although with much more Hyde on-screen.
However, you don't get a Terence Fletcher if you don't have an Andrew to terrorise, and while Miles Teller did not receive a nomination for the Oscars, he still deserves all the praises he can get. While in Simmons case it's a juxtaposition between an angel of devil, Teller plays his part convincingly as a kid who's hopeful in the beginning, yet gradually becomes more jaded as time goes on. He sheds his signature smirk for a more serious demeanor. Because Andrew is awkward, so is Teller. You don't have to be a drummer under a tyrannical mentor to know what it feels like to be in Andrew's shoes; Teller does that for you.
There's really only one question asked in the entirety of Whiplash : what does it take to be a great? Passion? Talent? Discipline? Or maybe blood, sweat and tears in the most literal of sense? Does it take a walk through hell, sacrificing everything in the process, is that the price of greatness and success? To be the best, does it mean locking yourself up, isolating yourself from people you care and who care about you, playing till your fingers bleed, till you're torn and defeated on the inside?
And when all that's said and done, is it all worth it?
And also, when it comes to raising greatness, how much to too much? How far do you have to push before everything backfires?
(Okay, so maybe more than just one question.)
Whiplash doesn't answer those questions; it's up to you to gauge the right and wrong of Fletcher's teachings and Andrew's following. Along with these questions, when the last note is played and the camera pans for one last time, it's up to the viewer's own discretion to define what that final shot truly stands for,what Whiplash stands for, and what it means for the untold future of both Andrew and Fletcher.
Whiplash doesn't go down the conventional road that most films about music usually take. Most films of this type would tell you that the greatest and most important driving force behind a musician is a passion for the art (or something along that line), but it's hard to tell whether or not this passion exists in Whiplash. Andrew Neiman (Miles Teller), a first-year at Shaffer Conservatory, is recruited into the school's studio band by Terence Fletcher (J.K. Simmons) who is the conductor. You'd think Fletcher to be a pretty chill guy in real life, that the real him is not like draconian tyrant in the music room, and he eases the newcomer Andrew with small talk, telling him to "relax" and "have fun".
That is until he decides to hurl a chair at him before hurling even worse insults. Insults that were twisted from Andrew's personal details and exploits his weaknesses and insecurities.
 |
| Insulting one's father and mother, that's how low Fletcher can go. |
You'll feel personally victimised alongside Andrew when Fletcher starts barreling abuses at him, but it's satisfying when Andrew fights back in small, small measures until that grand finale.
And I do mean grand. By the end of all of it, you'd find that you've forgotten to breathe.
It's no surprise that Simmons walked home with an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor after watching him in this movie. He does an absolutely incredible job portraying the menacing Fletcher. (FYI, Fletcher's character was inspired by director Damien Chazelle's music teacher from high school) It's not hard to be lulled into a false sense of security when he's tender and kindly, allowing yourself to think, "Maybe he's not a bad person..?", only to have those thoughts crushed when you realise how terrifying he actually is when he does things that can only be described as evil. It's a bit of a Jekyll and Hyde story, although with much more Hyde on-screen.
 |
| Amy Chua has got nothing on Terence Fletcher. |
 |
| When all is lost, what is left? |
There's really only one question asked in the entirety of Whiplash : what does it take to be a great? Passion? Talent? Discipline? Or maybe blood, sweat and tears in the most literal of sense? Does it take a walk through hell, sacrificing everything in the process, is that the price of greatness and success? To be the best, does it mean locking yourself up, isolating yourself from people you care and who care about you, playing till your fingers bleed, till you're torn and defeated on the inside?
And when all that's said and done, is it all worth it?
And also, when it comes to raising greatness, how much to too much? How far do you have to push before everything backfires?
(Okay, so maybe more than just one question.)
Whiplash doesn't answer those questions; it's up to you to gauge the right and wrong of Fletcher's teachings and Andrew's following. Along with these questions, when the last note is played and the camera pans for one last time, it's up to the viewer's own discretion to define what that final shot truly stands for,what Whiplash stands for, and what it means for the untold future of both Andrew and Fletcher.
 |
| "Not quite my tempo." |
I rate it : 9/10 stars
THE GOOD : Acting by everyone was spot-on; great jazz music that is unlike the ones on a Starbucks' playlist; editing and cinematography are so tight that the intensity is real
THE BAD : To the trained individual, drummers especially, Miles Teller drum-playing may seem fake and off-sync; musicians may find the lack of fun and love for music to be ludicrous. (But still, not reasons for you to not watch this movie.)
WATCH IT IF YOU...
- ...want J.K. Simmons to teach you to swear in some pretty colourful ways.
- ...want to watch Miles Teller suffer.
- ...are not planning to take up jazz drumming anytime soon.
- ...like to hear your heartbeat in your ears and not breathe for 100 minutes or so.
WHIPLASH (2015)
Genre : Drama, Music
Runtime : 107 minutes
Director : Damien Chazelle
Cast : Miles Teller, J.K. Simmons, Paul Reiser, Melissa Benoist
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