Smashed

Rating: 9/10 (3 February 2015)

The first time I saw the trailer for this film I thought this film should be awesome. And it was. Not only did this film successfully tell a story about passion, sacrifice, determination, commitment, and love, it featured two of the best performances I've seen for years with J.K Simmons expertly playing the extremely quotable Terrence Fletcher who impeccably shouted out harsh but hilarious insults at his poor victims, and Miles Teller who for me hasn't received enough praise for his excellent portrayal of a young musician trying to fight against the beast that stands in his way when he is trying to accomplish his dream of being one of the bests. In addition, Damien Chazelle's direction has to be applauded, especially for the epic, nail biting conclusion that had me, and everyone else nearly falling off their seats in amazement. Another plus is the electrifying jazz soundtrack and music that plays throughout most of the movie making you wonder 'what is going to happen next?' The only reason for why I didn't rate this film higher was because of my own selfish reasons, because for me the ending should have been wrapped up better, and one crash should have proved fatal. But you can't deny that Whiplash is a must-see for containing a master-class script, flawless lead performances, an unpredictable story, and the list goes on.