A haunting and claustrophobic musical drama more intense than any modern horror film

Rating: 6/10 (21 January 2015)

In Whiplash, an aspiring drummer faces a music teacher who echoes Gunnery Sergeant Hartman from Full Metal Jacket. Throughout this powerful, punchy drama, the student tries to succeed while his brutal teacher terrifies him- and us- and tries to drive him to victory in the most damaging way possible. An awards season favourite, Whiplash boasts many fine qualities which will see it take home at least one award come Oscar night. Miles Teller shows vulnerability, character depth and determination as the main character, although his performance is overshadowed by J.K. Simmons as Terrence Fletcher, probably the Margaret White of music teachers. Fletcher is a very frightening character and is the antagonist of the film, but he is given depth and motivation as well. Whiplash deserved a best director nomination, and the editing and cinematography are intense and electrifying, matching the rhythm of the drum sticks beating furiously upon the drum throughout the film.
The script dissects its characters and rounds them well, and neither the protagonist nor the antagonist are two dimensional. Whiplash has its problems though. J.K. Simmons is being tipped as a favourite to win the Oscar, but all he really does is shout most of the time, so he shouldn't win. Andrew, the main character, is not a very interesting character at first and while he evolves later, he never becomes someone we particularly care about. Whiplash is a claustrophobic experience as it's so ferocious, and this means it can be unpleasant to watch. Also, with a lack of anything genuinely uplifting, Whiplash is a ugly at times and is an overly depressing examination of the search for greatness. It's not a film I will rewatch, but it deserves its praise and for anyone interested in music it's a good film to watch. It's not the masterpiece many have said it is and doesn't beat the likes of Birdman, Boyhood and The Imitation Game, but it's worth seeing in the cinema and overall a unique look at ambition and pupil-teacher relationships.
8/10