One of the best of 2014

Rating: 8/10 (5 January 2015)

Andrew Neeman is a student at Shaffer, the best music school in USA, but he's just an alternate drummer in some school band. One night he accidentally catches the attention of Terence Fletcher, the most revered conductor in the school. But even since acquaintance, Fletcher has been such an irritating and abusive man. He humiliates Andrew at his first day on the band, to the point where Andrew cries. Andrew asks Nicole, the girl working at his favorite cinema, to go out with him. In a competition, Tanner, Fletcher's band's core drummer left his music sheets to Andrew, who neglects it for two seconds. The sheets disappear oddly. Tanner can't play without the sheets. Andrew steps in, stating he knows the song, Whiplash, by heart. Andrew plays well and earns Tanner's spot. But Fletcher introduces a new song, Caravan, which needs an extreme time stamp measure of 330 bpm.
Fletcher keeps saying, harshly, that Andrew need to practice harder to gain the speed and tempo, Fletcher's tempo. Andrew breaks up with Nicole, saying his ambition will only hinder their relationship. One day Fletcher introduces Ryan, Andrew's band-mate in their former band where Andrew was Ryan's alternate, as another alternate drummer, heating more competition for the spot. At another competition, Andrew gets into an accident trying to be on time, after showing up late and has to go get his sticks back. He goes on and plays, all bloodied and battered, but Fletcher says he already loses his spot. Andrew had it and launches at Fletcher. He gets expelled from Shaffer for that. A lawyer approaches his family, encouraging Andrew to speak up against Fletcher's abuse, noting Shaun Casey, a player Fletcher boasted about earlier, was driven into suicide by Fletcher's attitude. Andrew agrees to it and Fletcher gets kicked out of Shaffer, without knowing who the whistle-blower is.
Andrew continues on, leaving the kit for a while. But he sees Fletcher performs live. Fletcher sees him and they chat. Fletcher explains his view on his teaching method, that he drives the best out of his students. Fletcher offers the drummer spot for his band to perform at another upcoming festival with the same songs, Whiplash and Caravan. But it turns out to be Fletcher's revenge. The festival audiences are influential figures in the industry who can make or break someone's career. Fletcher intentionally leaves out Andrew from the opening song's music sheets. Andrew performs clueless. Embarrassed, he leaves the stage. But he goes back on to prove himself. As Fletcher talks into the second song, he starts himself with a solo and cues the band in for the song Caravan, which now he fully masters. After the song he still continues on with a long and speedy solo.
This movie has been in my wish-list since I saw its first trailer months ago but I just get the chance to see it now after there is access to it on the internet. I have an experience in drumming so this movie relates to me even more. The story gets to be very engaging and it also teaches a very good lesson in my eyes, that to pursue your dreams you should do your best, and that includes putting blood, sweat and tears into the effort, and also choosing between your dreams and other priorities.
The movie focuses on great characters. Andrew depicts a great character in his passion for music, for his dreams, and his ultimate choice to work himself out to achieve them. But the movie also plays it fair as it shows the consequences of being ambitious like Andrew does. Yes those cuts do happen to a drummer's hands, although maybe not that dramatic. Fletcher maybe perceived as the ultimate antagonist in this movie, shoving emotional pain to all his students. But we can also see the positive effects that students achieve their potential. Come to think of it, Fletcher has a great memory and a deep sense of ironic humor. When Andrew asks about Tanner as the drummer for the band performing on the JVC Jazz Festival, Fletcher answered that Tanner moved to a pre-med school, which is very ironic since Tanner stutters out from playing in Overbrook since he has a medical condition about his memory.
The musical aspect is just great. The first time I saw this, there are many times that I feel a dilemma of choosing between closing my eyes to focus on listening to the great music and drum techniques, or keep opening it to see the acting. I am not quite sure that it's really Miles Teller on the kit, especially on those crazy 330 and 400 bpm tunes. But if it is really him, or if he at least plays a large chunk of those parts, I think he deserves more respect for his skills. The references to great musicians also serve as intriguing parts, if not inspiring.
The acting is indeed a great job overall. I like how Miles Teller portrays the ambitious student, strengthening himself to withstand the obvious mental and emotional abuse to get the drummer spot for his dreams. J.K. Simmons acted out his usual part of yelling and screaming, we all got familiar with his J.J. Jameson parts on Spidemran movies. But this time he takes it up a few notches, getting more serious without the clumsy jokes.
My say for this movie is that Whiplash (2014) stands up as one of 2014's best movie. It's a great regret that this movie doesn't get a wider release. I do think this movie deserves at least a nomination as best picture. Besides being entertaining and inspiring, like other best picture nominations do, this movie tells a great story about dreams and the struggle for it. A score of 8 out of 10 and a definite recommendation is from me for this one.