Whiplash
Whiplashis a tense (but somewhat hollow) psycho-thriller that features a ferocious performance to remember from J.K. Simmons
Whiplashstars Miles Teller as Andrew Neyman , a 19 - year quondam whose big dreaming of becoming a great malarkey drummer head him to attend the Manhattan - found Shaffer Conservatory , which is generally considered one of the best music schools in the U.S. ( perchance even the world ) . Hence when Andrew , a first - year student , is selected by Shaffer ’s top instructor Terence Fletcher ( J.K. Simmons ) as a new membranophone surrogate for Fletcher ’s band , the young player is both in awe and terrorize at the same time .
However , Andrew quickly learns that Fletcher ’s seeking for flawlessness knows no bounds , nor does his willingness to emotionally , verbally , and sometimes even physically abuse his students until they reach greatness . Andrew pushes himself to extremes so as to meet Fletcher ’s in high spirits standards , but it soon becomes hard to evidence if Fletcher is trying to establish Andrew into the stratosphere … or get him to burn up during takeoff .
write and send by Damien Chazelle ( Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench),Whiplashis a film that prove what it takes to achieve greatness as an creative person ; and thus , brings to mind such recent movies asBlack Swan , thematically speak . The difference is that Darren Aronofsky ’s film is a psycho - dramatic event about its booster ’s descent into lyssa , whereas Chazelle ’s picture is more a psycho - thriller focused on a battle of will between two hoi polloi with an unhealthy father / son - similar relationship . At the end of the 24-hour interval , though , both films have like enduringness and weaknesses .
Chazelle use some of the same techniques that Aronofsky is know for , to bring the account and world ofWhiplashto lifespan . That includes the use of quick cuts and utmost closeups of unpleasant details ( be it horn participant empty their spit valve or Andrew ’s hand bleeding as he thrum ) as well as melodramatic facial closeups . immix together with active camera trend express the onscreen natural action , and that approach is able-bodied to preserve a sultry and intense atmosphere throughout the film , no matter what is happen . Stylistically , Whiplashsucceeds as pure nail-biting filmmaking , by pull TV audience into Andrew ’s disjunct and anxious mindset .
… Unfortunately , Whiplashcomes up a bit unretentive , when it comes to being a superimposed work of storytelling . Whereas a late film likeBirdmanis insightful as both a picture show about the experience of being an actor and , on a deeper level , a story about more universal theme , Whiplashdoesn’t have a whole band to say about music or jazz - the subject it ’s examining on the surface - and its story about the monetary value of grandness , as bespeak before , is both intimate and somewhat lightly draw . Mind you , Whiplashis very much a watchable and engaging photographic film , but it ’s better as a thrill ride than a meaningful piece of storytelling , particularly as things start to get increasingly ridiculous ( in terms of plot development ) along the means . In other words , there are flair over essence issues here .
That say , the element that really makesWhiplashso compelling is J.K. Simmons , who deliver quite the terrifying performance - reminding everyone that he is one of the unspoilt truthful character actors around . Fletcher , with his bulging eyes and power to switch from kindly paternal figure to foul - mouthed monstrosity in the wink of an eye , is easily on of the year ’s most memorable characters , thanks to Simmons . There are times when Fletcher starts to become middling cartoonish , but thanks to Simmons it ’s hard to say for certain much of Fletcher ’s behavior ismeantto be an act - to either inspire or solace those around him - and how much is just , well , who he is .
Miles Telller need a break from playing cocky , fast - lecture , immature men with his role inWhiplash , as the softer , introspective , and ungainly Andrew - nevertheless , it ’s yet another fine performance from Teller . matter is , there ’s not a whole lot to his character ; Andrew ’s quest to attain enormousness is give some development , but beyond that he ’s a bittoomuch of a blank slate before he starts going over the edge ( Natalie Portman ’s character inBlack Swanhas a similar job ) .
There ’s also a amorous subplot have Melissa Benoist ( Glee ) that ’s mean to look at " the monetary value " that Andrew pays to pursue his dreams , but that tale screw thread is a bit cast-off . likewise , Whiplashtakes a few steps to juxtapose the Andrew / Fletcher moral force with Andrew ’s relationship to his literal father ( Paul Reiser ) , but in the destruction it does n’t sum a whole lot in the fashion of deepness to the celluloid ’s protagonist or his personal quest . To be cleared , though , Benoist and Reiser both wreak their parts well and serve the purpose they ’re assigned in the larger narrative ( passably thin it may be ) .
In summation?Whiplashis a tense ( but jolly empty ) psychotic - thriller that features a ferocious performance to remember from J.K. Simmons . It has the vogue befit a movie that could be called a innovative - sidereal day Hitchcock thriller , but not the gist ; nor does its present its key argumentation - about the price that must be paid to become a legend ( or " the cost to be the boss " as James Brown put it ) - well enough to make someone reconsider where they stand on the issue . withal , Whiplashis quite an entertaining quat versus mouse plot to check .
Oscars 2015 Contender: ‘Whiplash’
TRAILER
Whiplashis now act in U.S. theaters nationwide . It is 106 minutes farseeing and is Rated R for firm language including some intimate references .
lead by Damien Chazelle , Whiplash follows Andrew Neiman ( Miles Teller ) , a first - yr music pupil at a prestigious New York City conservatory who becomes the prey of abuse by one of his instructors , Terence Fletcher ( J.K. Simmons ) . As Andrew influence hard to ingrain Fletcher , their more and more hostile relationship sends his life-time into a tailspin . Paul Reiser and Melissa Benoist star alongside Teller and Simmons .
J. K. Simmons in ‘Whiplash’
Miles Teller in ‘Whiplash’
J.K. Simmons prepared to conduct in ‘Whiplash’
