At its simplest, Whiplash is more inspirational than a raging AFL team on a hot Australian summer day.

Rating: 10/10 (21 August 2019)

Whiplash (2014) - (MA)
TONY SAAD - MONDAY, 12 JULY 2019
STAR - STAR - STAR - STAR
Music is a key to a memorable satisfying film, and Damien Chazelle's Whiplash is no exception. The energy of double-time swing, and the spontaneity of drum solos really reflect the nature of this film. It is ruthless, and at times painful to watch. The inspiration, and the reality of it all is a testament to how music really shapes our lives even in the slightest of ways. At its simplest, Whiplash is more inspirational than a raging AFL team on a hot Australian summer day.
Whiplash follows the story of Andrew Neiman (Miles Teller), a budding drummer at the prestigious Shaffer Conservatory in New York. He strives to become a world-class drummer like Buddy Rich. The Conservatory is conducted by Terrence Fletcher (J.K Simmons), who will do just about anything to push his students beyond their potential.
This film is all about music and musicians. Andrew joins the Shaffer Conservatory with the hopes to become a professional drummer. His passion directly impacts his relationship with his friends and family. I think Andrew is one of the most dedicated protagonists out there. His story alludes to those of many Jazz artists including Charlie 'Bird' Parker and Hank Levy. But he is not entirely innocent; his relationship with Terence is causing his fall among his friends and family.
This film is also one of the tensest non-horror films I've seen recently. Chazelle took inspiration from old thrillers in developing the story, which was evident in the conflicting emotions of the characters. A Thriller is not a horror film! It is the genre in which no character is innocent i.e. they all engage in abuse of law (Murder, theft, cheating, you name it) and they have got few -if any- allies in their quests. For example, Neiman is our hero, but he intentionally distances himself from his family and breaks up with his girlfriend to work on his drumming. Fletcher is pushing his students very far, but becomes very violent whenever he has a fit. And as a result, his relationship with his students is very toxic. Throughout the film, you cannot help but be on your nerves all the time, because Whiplash is just plain aggressive. It's as if it is forcing us to keep watching in anticipation of what may happen next; who will hurt whom? What will cause the fall of our protagonist?
Of course, the highlight of this film is the music. Whiplash is not an ordinary musical -the characters do not burst into song all the time-. The songs are sourced from famous Jazz artists like Hank Levy, and composed by Justin Hurwitz. I just wish I could watch the Shaffer Conservatory play the OST in front of me, or even better, me playing the drums with Neiman. My favourite pieces were Caravan and Too Hip to Retire, because I could not stop air drumming after having seen tis film.
The film showcases the beauty of music better than The Greatest Showman. While the latter is grandiose and spectacular, it feels like a series of music videos sewn together. Whiplash is better than that. In fact, it is the wonder of low budget filmmaking. Even if it was a series of music videos, it's a lot more entertaining than The Greatest Showman. Through Andrew and Terrence's relationship, Whiplash pays homage to jazz and its artists beautifully. It is also an inspirational story of how a little bit of determination and commitment can make all the difference in the toughest of times.
© Whiplash Film Review, 2019. This film review was produced for the purpose of copyrights in the Lebanese Republic and the Commonwealth of Australia. All Rights Reserved.