i have seen it 13 times

Rating: 9/10 (11 June 2017)

I ask you to forgive me if i have taken so long to write a review of Whiplash, but even today i am not sure i can. I do not know how to capture the emotions that build in me when i watch this film.
I will do it the other way around.
I really do not care for the segments of Andrew(Miles Teller)'s personal life. Yes, they do add a bit of character development, but outside the story. The real development is his development as a drummer. And how Fletcher(Simmons) affects it.
I confess that i am a music professional. I went to music school and while the teachers are not like Fletcher, the exaggeration of his character in Whiplash is an expression of the drive that successful musicians truly have.
We have all had bleeding fingers, passed out from practicing too much, and putting music above everything else. All these things are true, and i accept that Whiplash exaggerates it to make you SEE what musicians FEEL.
Now, on to the production. The photography is superb. I love every camera angle, ever light shot. The direction and dialogue are flawless. Teller has his limits as an actor, but he fits perfectly in this role, and Simmons was born to play the part of Fletcher.
I have watched this film 13 times. I decided to give away the DVD because i would have probably watched it many more times again. If you are a musician, you are not complete unless you watch Whiplash.
And for the others .. well, Whiplash is a weird film. It might struggle to get its message across to you, or you might simply not be interested or not realize why Andrew is the real winner in the last scene, or what he has accomplished.
It breaks my heart, but rules are rules.
As this film is aimed at a limited audience, it can only score:
9/10 - a monumental masterpiece for anyone involved in music.