Casting a Shadow

Rating: 9/10 (2 March 2017)

Harsh. Demeaning. Unyielding. Perfectionist. These traits are that of J.K. Simmons' Terence Fletcher, the director of the top jazz band at a prestigious conservatory of music. Damien Chazelle's Whiplash, follows the course of a jazz musician under the tutelage of an often demanding instructor, leaving the audience to make a judgement on the effectiveness of such a teaching style. Much like its' young protagonist, Whiplash strives for perfection in portraying the trials and tribulations of a promising musician. While overshadowed by strong performance by Teller and Simmons, Whiplash's powerful cinematography and decisive musical choices represent a strong sophomore effort from director Damien Chazelle.
Andrew Neiman is an aspiring jazz drummer at the prestigious (and fictitious) Shaffer conservatory of music. The movie opens on Neiman practicing rudimentary drills alone in a practice room in the dark of night. As Neiman increases the intensity of his drills, he looks up to notice he has company; Terence Fletcher, the instructor of the top band at the school. Though the audience is not yet aware, this scene mirrors the path of the entire film, with Neiman's best never seeming to be enough to satisfy the incessantly demanding Fletcher.
After seeing Neiman play, Fletcher invites him to the top band at the school. In spite of the incredible talent of the musicians in the top band, at Neiman's first rehearsal he sees, and experiences firsthand Fletcher's often cruel and demanding teaching style. After brutally humiliating and demoting a trombone player, he turns to the newest member of the band. While initially Neiman remains determined and driven in his quest to be one of the greats, his determination begins to waver, and with it his respect for his teacher. This crescendos, so to speak, until Neiman snaps, attacking his teacher on stage at a competition. This conflict between the student and the teacher is maintained throughout the film, and is one of the defining characteristics.
Simmons, who has demonstrated himself throughout his career to be an incredibly versatile actor, portrayed the intense and unforgiving Fletcher phenomenally throughout the film. From the very beginning of the film, Simmons' Fletcher casts an ominous presence on the screen, highlighted against the shadows of the hallway late in the practice room. Rather than your standard archetype of a always-mean teacher, Fletcher constantly shifts from seemingly kind and forgiving to cruel and demeaning at a moment's notice. This adds a depth and complexity to the character that is excellently portrayed through Simmons' performance.
Teller, on the other hand, performs a more standard role, but still maintains a complexity and depth of character beyond other depictions. Ever the earnest, eager student, Teller's Neiman effectively conveys his drive to succeed through late night practice sessions, idolizing of drumming legends and most notably his bloodied hands. As the film goes on, though, it is clear to see Fletcher's presence and cruelty wearing on Neiman's dream, until finally Neiman snaps. Also notable is the Teller's extensive work in learning to play percussion for the film, and performing some of the scenes without the use of a background recording. While both Simmons and Fletcher's performances merit real praise, often overlooked are the complex directorial choices of director Damien Chazelle and the musical score of composer Justin Hurwitz. In the very opening scene, the stylistic choices of the director immediately casts Simmons' Fletcher as an imposing presence and establishes a somber and intense mood for the movie. As Fletcher steps out from the dark hallway, the camera angle is shot from a lower height, giving the hard-nosed director an immediate illusion of power and harshness. Another key example of these conscious directorial choice would be the rapid pans between Fletcher and Neiman in the final scene of the movie, as Neiman's solo gradually builds, the rapid pans inserting a sense of manic intensity into the scene to supplement the performances of the actors.
Throughout the film, Hurwitz's score provides a tone and mood that is authentic to the style of jazz performed by the bands and dovetails effectively with the quiet intensity of the film as a whole. The title track, "Whiplash", a difficult 7/4 chart that is actually performed by many jazz ensembles, serves as a metaphor for the movie as a whole, with alternating piano and forte sections that seem to shift in volume every few seconds. Even the unnamed tracks that play in the background as Neiman travels between classes or overheard from other bands evoke a complexity and simmering undertones that belie the rising tension throughout, which comes to a climax in the final number, "Caravan". A 1936 jazz standard originally composed and performed by Duke Ellington, the hard-driving Latin number expresses the constant ambition of Neiman as he strives, and in the penultimate solo, finally pleases the demanding Fletcher. While the performances of both Teller and Simmons are admirable, the directing and composing elevate the film to an even higher level. The choices of Chazelle and Hurwitz grant the film an additional depth and emotion that further places the movie into the conversation for one of the best films of the year.