Superb Entertainment

Rating: 10/10 (25 November 2014)

We are at the end of the year, and superlatives are handed like candy in Halloween. Sometimes the films are about serious themes and are immediately branded as classic, and actors ushered into the pantheon of the immortals, only to be forgotten in a few days. It's a rather special moment when one runs into a film that doesn't need the superlatives, not because it hasn't earned them, but because it is pure perfection, with every note playing beautifully, every nuance, every loud beat reaching us at the right time. This is the case of "Whiplash", a hard driving, entertaining, and very satisfying piece. "Whiplash" benefits grandly from a pair of intense performers, giving us probably what could be the best of their careers, and in the case of J.K. Simmons, it just caps many years of very good work. Miles Teller is just beginning what I certainly hope is an illustrious career. He stole the show in "Footloose", and he's one of the brightest spots in the rather silly "Divergent".
The film is the story of a man trying to find that new musical genius, one who believes you have to push beyond rational limits to make that diamond truly shine, even when some of the methods are a bit unconventional and borderline abusive. Then there is the student who firmly believes he can be that special one, but he might never get there because of his personal hubris, and the fact that his teacher might not give him the chance he needs.
Tensions mount as teacher drives student to frustration, unbearable amounts of pain, and the point where he might doubt his true potential. In addition, we have twists of fate that are likely to derail everyone's plans, and in a terrific conclusion, a musical ride, unlike anything we have seen recently, making recent musical entries recoil in shame because they lacked both soul and talent. Here we have the beat at its most alive, matching the intensity of the performances, the beauty of the photography, and with masterful editing strokes, pushing us in the audience to witness what joy it is to see all of the pieces of a good movie team work in perfect unison.
Teller shows what a physical performance can be, and he the dazzling Simmons to match and play along with. Both are leading performances and hopefully will be recognized as such. It's a perfect team, with the necessary balance to make everything work.
Come and go along for the ride, and you'll truly see plenty of diamonds shine, like the most beautiful of those stars before they were told they were doing a very "good job" and started settling for less.