Review - Whiplash

Whiplash is a knock down, a sucker punch. Its electrifying. 

You'll want to bang your hand on the wall. 

Not quite my tempo.

I never though instrumental music, or jazz to be precise, will feel like watching a wrestling match. Or a dirty cricket sledging. Whiplash proves that artists are indeed pushed to their extreme limits - by their teachers, peers or themselves, which actually isn't the case. The fact that they won't give up until they prove themselves, over and over again, is indeed what makes them brilliant. Artists are not made overnight.  

Based on director and writer Damien Chazelle's own first hand experience at a music school, Whiplash is about a young jazz drummer Andrew Neyman (Miles Teller) who gets admitted to United States' best music school, Shaffer Conservatory. He is dedicated to his art, focused but still an amateur. He is selected to the school's band by conductor Terrence Fletcher (J.K. Simmons). Fletcher is abusive, verbally and physically to his students. He insults, mocks. He is like Voldemort conducting a jazz orchestra.

What follows after that is a series of some serious action. Not your typical physical action - instead of men, here drums are beaten to death. There are some scenes which show humiliation and bullying in its most worst form. Miles tries, tries harder. His conviction to his art is what keeps him going. Fletcher, on the other hand, knows that Miles is capable of being great. But his way of motivation isn't your usual teacher-student pep talk. Hands bled, drums are broken and thrown over. The film turns into a WWE match (not literally).

Acting here is amazing. First things first, Miles Teller is a great actor. Yes, you can go at lengths that he didn't performed the actual drumming. But his expressions - agony and pain on his face while he's drumming at 200bpm - and yet determined - is a brilliant acting. They say, acting is not just about talking. Miles proves it. J.K. Simmons, however, gets most of the "talk" here and mind you - he is loathsome. His words fire bullets, hitting right on the target. Sometimes, I felt hitting Fletcher with a drumstick right on his bald head. Simmons proves that bad guys indeed make a great impression.

The film is a great example of shooting and editing a music session - the quick cuts, closeups and shots matching the music right on tempo. As if the editor (Tom Cross) himself was part of the orchestra. Visually the film resembles 'The Social Network' - the sepia toned imagery with crisp details. Chazelle is outstanding as a director - his work flows with a thrust, like a hurricane that blows you away. 

The moral issues and ethics are debatable and they should be. How far you should push someone to be great? By the film's end, its stand is pretty much clear. "There are no two words in the English language more harmful than good job", says Fletcher near the end. After watching the masterful 10-minute jazz action at the end of Whiplash, I'd say "good job", Mr. Chazelle.

4/5