Only neat music and cinematography make this tawdry, melodramatic tale of sadomasochistic relationship between jazz conservatory student and teacher, worth watching

Rating: 4/10 (6 November 2014)

In the 70s, a new genre of films aimed at black audiences emerged entitled, 'Blaxploitation'. The genre primarily glorified stereotypical "criminal" behavior in black neighborhoods. Now with Damien Chazelle's, 'Whiplash', he's invented a new genre primarily for a large coterie of Caucasian males: 'Jazzploitation', set in an elite jazz program at a Julliard-like school of higher musical instruction. Both white liberal film critics and martial arts enthusiasts alike, will enjoy this exercise in sado-masochistic shenanigans as evidenced by the plethora of rave reviews now gracing a multitude of web pages over the internet.
Don't ask any of our critics who rave about the film to require Mr. Chazelle to provide even a modicum of verisimilitude. I'm talking, of course, about how Mr. Chazelle's antagonist, the martinet music instructor, Terence Fletcher, would even last five minutes at a prestigious music conservatory, given his vast repertoire of sociopathic behavior. Oh but wait—'Whiplash' really is supposed to be more like a fable, so Mr. Chazelle is given a pass—he no longer has to be beholden to 'conventional' narratives.
But even fables should operate within a somewhat realistic world. And is it realistic to have Fletcher's co-worker shrink from him (are they all so afraid that they dare not assert themselves one bit?) Is it realistic not to see Fletcher's interactions with his supervisors (are they also completely browbeaten by him?) Would the administration allow such a person to continually humiliate his students, hurl ethnic and gay slurs, and actually throw things at the students, which could result in personal injury (possibly subjecting the school to a lawsuit?). Fletcher is clearly a caricature, who belongs in an army setting and not a music conservatory. Nonetheless, Chazelle needs the character to not only titillate us along the way but to illustrate his simplistic morality play, which entails a warning about the dangers of obsessive careerism.
Now of course various naysayers will argue that there ARE people like Fletcher who seek to bring out the best in their students by utilizing 'tough love' but such pedagogues in real life must work within the 'system' and the 'pushing' is much more subtle than what is depicted here.
The same goes for Chazelle's protagonist, Andrew Neyman, who plays the obsessed drummer student who seeks to get in the good graces of the ruthless Fletcher. Neyman is played by Miles Teller whom I liked very much in 'The Spectacular Now'. Since he plays drums in real life, Teller is pretty convincing playing the drums in the film.
But Chazelle applies the same 'sledge hammer' approach toward the character 'Neyman' as he does with 'Fletcher'. Neyman wants to 'make it' at 'any cost'. He plays the drums so hard until his hands start bleeding (various drummers posting on the internet deny they've seen cases of this); and then on his way to a competition, Neyman gets in a bad car accident, but STILL drags himself to the performance and attempts to play (Chazelle seeks to prove the inane point that Neyman is so obsessed, that he'll do anything to win—even if it means playing seriously injured and jeopardizing his own life). No really, can you see anyone doing this? But again, since this is more like a melodramatic fable, Chazelle can have his characters do the most ridiculous things, and seemingly get away with it!
Two thirds of the Whiplash plot concerns Fletcher's quest to supposedly bring out the best in his students (none of whom do we really get to know except Neyman). John Bleasdale writing in CineVue finds Fletcher's diatribes appealing: "His razor wit, sheer outrageousness, inventive taunting and vulgar insults are at once appalling and blackly funny." I agree that Fletcher's insults are appalling but "blackly funny"? Keep in mind that all the other characters who come in contact with Fletcher, have no ego, to the point that no one will oppose him. Therefore, Fletcher can get away with saying anything he feels like (some may call this 'wit', but in reality they're simply one note monologues--a set of variations on a theme).
The second act crisis manifests itself when Neyman is kicked out of school after physically attacking Fletcher. The way back toward some kind of 'equilibrium' is when Neyman agrees to give a deposition in a lawsuit that eventually leads to Fletcher's dismissal from the conservatory.
The Whiplash climax occurs after Neyman and Fletcher meet at a jazz club where Fletcher is now playing and Neyman agrees to play at a showcase. This turns out to be an ambush, since Fletcher arranges for Neyman to get up there without sheet music and he can only end up improvising (Fletcher is so demented that he's seemingly willing to sabotage the entire performance to get back at Neyman who he knows testified against him). Neyman runs off backstage into the arms of his good guy father but suddenly summons the courage to come back and play, where he dazzles, performing an extraordinary drum solo. Has Neyman triumphed after enduring the humiliating set-up? Not at all! He merely plays into Fletcher's stratagem to push him beyond his limits emotionally—even if it means that he must sacrifice his dignity and self-worth by allowing the mad sociopath to manipulate him over and over again.
In order to accept Chazelle's tawdry tale, one must accept the conventions of melodrama. Clearly it's written as heightened reality to make a point about the sadomasochistic relationship between student and teacher. While Chazelle may ultimately view his characters at a distance with the correct moral upper hand, he mirrors Tarantino, by reveling in the violence that he is also attempting to disdain. The 'Whiplash' machinations end up more tawdry and sensationalistic than compellingly tragic.
I would recommend 'Whiplash' for the excellent cinematography and of course all the neat jazz music. I'll pass on the story—due to its clear, unrealistic and melodramatic aftertaste.