Whiplash

2014 • 106 minutu

Film honi buruz

Andrew Neiman is an ambitious young jazz drummer, single-minded in his pursuit to rise to the top of his elite east coast music conservatory. Terence Fletcher, an instructor known equally for his teaching talents and his terrifying methods, discovers Andrew and transfers him into his band. Andrew’s passion to achieve perfection soon spirals into obsession, as his ruthless teacher continues to push him to the brink of both his ability and his sanity.

Balorazioak eta iritziak

Andrew got what he wanted but not what he needed. The reason this story disappointed me was that it didn't have a character arch at all. The plot had an arch for sure but Andrew never changes in the story. He becomes a better drummer and doesn't let Fletcher break him in the end. But Andrew's character never changes. He could have changed if he had gotten what he needed which was to see that being great is not what life's about. He destroyed himself and took all the beauty out of the music because he tried to hijack the music to solve his existential crisis. He should have learned that Fletcher's philosophy on greatness was twisted. The conversation he has at the dinner table is all about having your name remembered. Is having your name remembered worth destroying your life, your relationships, sucking the joy out of art, and dying of a heroine overdoes? Essentially this story is the antithesis to a film like Paddington. Instead of a virtuous bear making everyone around him better, this film gives us a bitter jazz teacher who makes everyone around him worse. The lesson is simple: If you don't become one of the greats your life was a waste so tear yourself apart and make yourself and everyone around miserable because becoming great is all there is and if you're not great then you're nothing. Andrew believes this from beginning to end and the whole film is there to tell us that Andrew did what other people were to weak to do. Is the guy that switched to pre-med weak? I think not. Anyone who stayed in that music studio with Fletcher for more than one lesson is weak. Andrew is so insecure and in need of an identity that he'll allow Fletcher to destroy him. This is a story that glorifies the most destructive side of art which posits that an artist must destroy himself and suffer through all hell or what he produces is will be worthless. Please read Elizabeth Gilbert's "Big Magic" if you want a vision of making art that doesn't destroy the artist and everyone around him.

I say almost good enough because even on a boring plane ride I almost couldn't finish it. A student wants to be a drummer and has a jerk teacher. That's it. It's really that shallow of a plot. There's not even an ending. The movie just stops like they couldn't be bothered to write one.

The stand out from this movie is obviously the acting from Miles Teller and J.K Simmons. However, the movies does end abruptly but that doesn't effect my view on the film. Its a really great time to watch this movie.