Is Greatness Achievable Without Adversity?

Rating: 8/10 (15 January 2015)

That J.K Simmons is a versatile character actor is a given. Simmons, as a kind of "second banana" comedic foil has elevated just about everything he has been used in this guise for. But, Simmons is also an exceptional dramatic actor too when given the right part. Whiplash gives Simmons the part that should remove any doubt about him being able to bring a character you love to hate to a kind of artistic visceral reality. Simply put, Whiplash couldn't rise to the rare air the story aspires for without such a performance.
No man is an island and though, the screenplay and the direction by Damien Chazelle is succinct in totally building a great story without anything superfluous. This is a movie with a powerful statement about humanity never veering into the maudlin. The seriousness of this straightforwardly told story is brilliant and never fails to entertain. It's anything but boring no matter if you give a whit about jazz music which is really not central at all. It's about the intersection of beliefs, self-doubt, and will to overcome whatever may come finding something held deep and dear. Collateral damage is often painful, raising questions of social morality which is to say; it's complicated just like the real life it portrays.
Whiplash poses a big question: are some of history's greatest men and women destined to be all they become or are they ripe for something that pushes, changes, them to achieve it? If one is a student of history it seems it is very much the combination of certain events placed before a person, inherent brilliance not withstanding, that molds the final result. Along the way, many times, the great person must reclaim their humanity as the price they've paid may have stripped them of so much. Only by finally espousing internal peace can the person have the combination of immortal-like greatness and a well lived life. Even fewer achieve this than greatness itself. Whiplash intrigues the viewer, while being extremely entertaining and moving, to ponder this. Saving this for last, newcomer Miles Teller is not only utterly fantastic in his role of Andrew Neiman, the protagonist, but is one hell of drummer, apparently, too. He nails the role all around. A great movie, highly recommended.