Gutbuster

Rating: 9/10 (13 December 2014)

This is a movie about a driven young man, wanting to be the best jazz drummer in the world. Facing a abusive teacher, wanting to be responsible for the next great musician. Pushing his students to constantly pushing their limits. Expecting perfection constantly, and lashing out whenever he doesn't get it. The young drummer trains and trains, in order to show the teacher that he belongs in the special group of musicians.
The relationship between the drummer and the teacher remains the mostly abusive and tense during the whole movie, driving the drummer to the brink of insanity due to the constant pressure, with exception of the last seven minutes. I think it ties together what has been discussed up to that point, gaining understanding for the teachers, or at least an explanation, behavior. But I don't know, at the same time it feels so rushed to making the drummer and teacher friends after having both of them building up the pressure and tension between them during the whole movie. But the pressure is perfectly portrayed, the abusive relationship is interesting (seeing how goody-two-shoe most films like this can be, evidently this movie takes that path as well in the end but It's because of the analogy between the drummer and Charlie Parker. Failing at first, only to succeed in the end.
J.K. Simmons is incredible as the teacher, the music is great, the theme is great and is definitely a movie that needs to be watched if you like movies.