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9.2/10
FilmFascination Rating
Fuck Monday Motivation! Whiplash might just change you forever. This is a movie that will kick you in the ass to get up and chase what you want relentlessly.
I have seen Whiplash many times and it always rushes my blood to do something. Get my lousy lazy ass up and start working hard. Did you get what I just did there with the ‘lousy lazy’ shit? That is constructive criticism right there. This movie is filled with them. It is scary but at the same time enjoyable to watch them.
Whiplash is about Andrew Neiman, an aspiring drummer at the Schaffer Conservatory. But not just any drummer. He wants to be the next great that people talk about. Schaffer is the best music school in the country where only the best of the best play. There we meet Fletcher, an instructor here and every player here has just one dream – to play in his band. But it is in the very first scene that we understand Fletcher when he sees Neiman playing. It isn’t easy to impress him. He comes into the room, listens Neiman play for a few seconds. Neiman tries giving his best as a fresher, concentrating by putting his head down. When he looks back up, Fletcher is gone as is the opportunity. Fletcher comes back and says, “Oopsie Daisy, forgot my jacket”.
That is when I knew this movie would be intense. And intense? Are you kidding me? There is nothing like this experience. This movie needs to be completely dedicated to J.K Simmons. Miles Teller does a very impressive job as well. But still, Simmons plays Fletcher with such finesse. Fletcher is a difficult guy to portray. If it had gone into the wrong hands this movie would have been in a completely different direction. Fletcher abuses his students, puts them through utmost pressure, and quite rightly breaks them. But still, you would be on his side. That is top-class acting right there. Again, there also comes the scene, half an hour into the movie, which I am sure all of you must have already heard. The ‘I am upset’ scene. What a great scene that is and it moves so beautifully in the command of Simmons. He has this power and authority when he is in a scene. His dialogue delivery is phenomenal. Every foul word, every one of the creative blabber that he throws hit right where they are supposed to.
You know what the hardest thing is? It is trying to share your passion with people who have no idea about it. Making them feel for the things you so genuinely care about. Damien Chazelle does this. It is evident that he loves Jazz. Even a guy like me who does not know much about Jazz had my hands beating the drum in the air. It is just impossible not to when you are watching Whiplash. Even the movie captures this when Miles struggles to share his passion with the people around him. How can you show them what you see?
I’ve already talked about how good Chazelle is with his camera and editing in my La La Land review. He does it again! At times the camera moves slowly through the room, then there are fast movements during the upbeat music practices, moving through the saxophone players, a glance at the music sheet, and then back at the drums. These camera shots play a massive role in getting you pumped up while watching the movie.
J.K Simmons told in one of his interviews how the actors were made for this movie. Teller played drums most of his life in small bands. Even Simmons studied music and was going to become an instructor himself. So this movie aligns all that perfectly. The script of Whiplash was first made into a short movie. When that received many positive reviews, Damien decided to turn it into a full-fledged movie.
When I first watched ‘Whiplash’, at the end, I wondered- ‘is that all?’. I think I did not understand what Whiplash was actually about back then. Now that I have watched it so many times, I realise how satisfying that end is. You don’t get that conventional ending you usually get in most movies. But the question is do you need one? Does a movie always have to make that traditional bow at the audience? It is a scene where the two strong personalities conflict and shows how the movie is psychological and not just about music. One of the best last 10 minutes I have seen.
Whiplash is about one thing alone and anyone would agree that- it is about ‘Greatness’. It is that passion or rather obsession to be what you want. The drive and the desire to give everything. To push your limits beyond what’s expected of you. There are many instances of mediocrity shown in the film to realise what one must give up to be something. Like people partying in the next room when Neiman returns to his apartment. And even the fact that Nicole (his girlfriend) just takes admission into a college without any plans on what to do next. Then we see Neiman pouring his blood out (literally) to be one of the greats. At a point, we might just have to rethink if whatever Fletcher is doing is really wrong or is that what is needed to create the next great. Because if we just got what we wanted, we would just stop there. Whiplash is one of those movies which is filled with dialogues and is still more enthralling than an action movie. Whiplash truly is a ‘good job’. Or probably I shouldn’t say that (Whiplash reference).
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