A Powerhouse of Music and Cinema Perfection

Rating: 10/10 (16 November 2018)

There are not enough good things that I can say about this movie. Everything from the technical aspects to the acting to the story and pacing are all top notch. The performances from the actors especially are all fantastic specifically J.K. Simmons of course, as well as Miles Teller. Both give very convincing performances and deliver all of their lines perfectly. This is a very interesting movie in terms of tone and genre. I say that because while at first the movie presents itself as a heavy drama about the desire of fame by a young drummer, it quickly evolves into something unexpected yet also greater than the drama, which is a thriller. And of course I do not use the word thriller as it is generically applied to movies such as mysteries or action movies. Here it is genuinely thrilling because of the interplay between Fletcher (Simmons) and Andrew (Teller). As the movie progresses, Andrew's mental state is seen deteriorating as he starts to let his entire life be consumed by his drive to become the best drummer he can be. And along with this mental deterioration comes some of the most intense dialogue exchanges between Andrew and Fletcher that are easily some of the best scenes I have ever seen in a movie, period. Oh, and it helps that the cinematography is great as well. Every single shot in the movie is placed perfectly and close up shots are used very well here to establish thrilling moments and keep the audience (myself included) on the edge of their seats. It was definitely a wonderful movie to look at, the band scenes obviously being the standout ones. And on top of all these great things comes possibly the best quality of them all, and that is the music. Good lord, this movie has one of, if not the best soundtrack for a movie I have ever heard. It works so well and the choreography is so damn good that you genuinely believe that it is Miles Teller playing the drums and not the soundtrack. Every single one of the songs is crafted well and only adds to the layer of thrill that this movie has to offer. And in what may very well be one of the best endings in cinematic history, Andrew goes all out and gives an audience pleasing, amazing, applause worthy drum solo to finish of this perfect movie, well, perfectly. Everything about this movie blew me away, definitely one of the best films from the past decade, maybe even of all time. Go see this movie if you haven't, for the love of God, you will not be disappointed.