"There are not two words in English languaje more harmful than «good job»"

Rating: 9/10 (25 April 2020)

Whiplash, with so much passion and energy, is a film that expresses what it is like to sacrifice for art. What is really beautiful, above all, is the journey that Andrew undertakes, and the many mixed feelings in between: the desire to be "the greatest", the passion he feels, the mistakes he makes in between. The first protagonist's impact happens just at the beginning, when Fletcher interrupts Andrew while he is rehearsing to invite him to his class. Fletcher takes the place of the "anti-hero hero": we all come to hate Fletcher and his practices. However, personally, at one point, I understood -when Fletcher tells Andrew that he always tried to create a new Miles Davis- that everything happens around that: a method. After all, the dream of many musicians -like Andrew- to be the best is complemented by Fletcher's aim. Andrew is pushed by the fear of failure (because of his father's case) and by his dream of being a great musician.
This is not just a movie about music or a drama, it is also a psychological movie. There is a constant psychological fight between two people who are very attached to their positions and opinions, and seeing their collisions is the most intense to see in terms of performance. Is it necessary to say something about J.K. Simmons? And of course everything is demonstrated not only through dialogues and performances, but also visually: Fletcher is not only scary and abusive, he also always dress in black, he's a big guy, and has an intimidating face. His room has a different shade of light than the rest of the conservatory, it's much dimmer. The drums crescendo in each scene of tension, a sad piano playing in the scenes in which Andrew surrenders.
What to say about the end? Damien Chazelle does it again, he leaves us stunned. In this moment, we see the most important decision of the whole Andrew's path's: after an embarrassing moment and a brief "triumphant" moment of Fletcher, Andrew returns to make his double tempo, independently of what Fletcher orders him, because he himself knows that he can do it. Fletcher's reproaches not only doesn't matter to him, they give him even more security. Andrew can finally see Fletcher without fear and Fletcher's gaze now says it all: he had never seen someone playing like that before. Far from being an antihero, he becomes an ally, who nods and assists Andrew. Finally, you don't even need a shot of Fletcher's entire face, just seeing his eyes we understand what's happening.
This movie isn't only for those who want to appreciate two hours of what good performances and technical details are, it is special for dreamers, music lovers, and art lovers.