Whiplash (2014)

Would you like to die at a young age with everyone remembering you or grow old and only be remembered by your friends?

It is a question Andrew (Miles Teller) asks during dinner with his family. He’s a drummer who wants to become the best and be famous. He wouldn’t mind dying young if that means immortality and being mentioned amongst the greats. He is very motivated to reach that goal and is willing to give up everything.

Setting your own goals and willing to do everything to chase them is always an interesting setup for a movie. It gives the moviemaker the opportunity to show a character struggling to overcome various obstacles and not knowing if he/she will be able to make their dreams a reality. It is a formula which doesn’t always work, but in the case of Whiplash it has been realised perfectly. At the start of the film Andrew is shown practicing fanatically until a man walk in, Fletcher (J.K.Simmons). Andrew freezes and you realise that this man is someone. It quickly becomes clear Andrew’s reaction as Flechter has his own band for competitions and only picks out the best to join it. He only wants the best and doesn’t hesitate to throw a musician out if they can’t give their all. Both Andrew and Fletcher try to attain perfection, but with two different egos that isn’t always easy.

Both J.K.Simmons and Miles Teller are in top form and impress. Simmons is menacing here and you feel why people are afraid and at the same time want to work with him. Teller doesn’t only impress with his acting, but also how he drums (which he all did himself for this film). The movie pits these two characters against each other and with both wanting to control everything the movie creates a kinetic energy which keeps pushing the movie forward, pulling its viewers along and making them care for Andrew. You want him to succeed, but also wonder if he will be able to do so. Whiplash is a very good film, which you frankly should not miss.