Visceral and abrasive to the point of disbelief

Rating: 7/10 (11 May 2019)

Following its critical acclaim, Whiplash was one of the films to see in 2014, a storied account of a promising orchestral drummer in over his head. On paper, this movie sounds like an excellent premise, non-conventional and darker than almost any other musically-oriented productions. However, the result didn't quite have the magic I was expecting; the aggression displayed by J.K. Simmons (who deservedly won numerous awards for his role) seemed misplaced given the nature of his job, and the film around him doesn't offer much else.
Miles Teller (one of my least favourite actors working today) is well-suited for his leading role, balancing his character's fractured personality against his commitment to the music. It is also worth appreciating Teller's devotion to his performance, as he took 2-hour drum lessons 5 days a week for the 5 months prior to filming. Outside of Teller and Simmons, the rest of the film is just a foil to allow their chemistry to spark - constantly pushing against one another to see who will cave first. Their intentions, however, are not the same: Simmons has an element of pure hatred hard to capture on screen, further capturing the difficulty of his role.
The camerawork is also strong, maximising darkened backgrounds and closeups to highlights the subtleties of each instrument's operations. Makeup is also used minimally but effectively, slowly building Teller's face up to emphasise the strain he undergoes for his job. Whiplash has a lot to like, but personally didn't grab me as the reviews suggested. If you can build the emotional connection with the leading roles, then Damien Chazelle's other directorial triumphs (First Man, La La Land) will also be worth your time.