Music Bootcamp

Rating: 9/10 (22 December 2014)

J. K. Simmons grabs this film by the throat and tosses us around like rag dolls. Abusive, profane, maniacal and pushing the edges of sanity, his portrayal of a college music professor who motivates his students towards excellence using despicable, offensive language is the best thing he has ever done.
Simmons playing Professor Fletcher meets Andrew played by Miles Teller in a practice room at the university. Andrew wants to be a great jazz drummer, and he is willing to pay the price to attain greatness. He is single-minded and ambitious. The professor motivates his most talented players using extreme abuse. He is a bully.
Most of the film is a series of confrontations between the professor and his students. He destroys the young, and he goes too far. Professors Fletcher is on a quest of his own. He wants to find a young Charlie Parker or someone with that kind of potential and push him to stardom. Fletcher admits that, in all his years of destroying impressionable neophytes, he has never found a real star, but he is not remorseful about his outrageous conduct.
He is more cruel to the truly talented because he has no time for the students who have no promise. All along the way, we know that Fletcher's harsh bullying has a purpose. We know he is trying to whip his students into better musicians, but he goes too far.
This film is a study in character - the character of the teacher and the character of the student.
Some of the best acting, screen writing and editing in 2014. There will be nominations for acting and writing, deservedly so.