Best film of 2014.

Rating: 10/10 (29 November 2014)

Never have I been a part of an audience that universally applauded a film immediately after the images faded to black. Indeed, never have I seen film at the cinema that was more deserving of such a reception. Before I realised it, my hands were coming together. An involuntary action; a result of a perfect movie in every conceivable way. Every scene, every shot, every piece of music that was played. There were certainly a number of subtle themes permeating the background of this movie. The most notable being what it takes, the dedication and relentless determination that is required for an artist, or indeed anyone, to become truly great, to become more than what was thought to be the limit of their capability, or even perfection itself. Despite this, and the many other parallel themes, at its core: this is a movie MADE for drummers. In saying that though, you of course do not need to be a drummer or a real musician to enjoy this movie. It is that incredible and that diverse that the drama, the tension, the comedic quotes, along with the impeccable acting, carry this film on its shoulders alone. This is the best film of the year, by at least a 20 kilometre marathon.
The plot of this film is simple, so I will not delve into that too much. But despite its simplicity, the incredibly written characters and their actions, their relationships, make this simplicity not just relevant, but yet another flawless aspect of the film. One of these characters is notorious music teacher Fletcher, a mean bastard of a man, whose depiction by J.K. Simmons is kicked out of the stadium, landing on the roof of a skyscraper several kilometres away. J.K. Simmons gives us, dare I say it, his best performance to date as an actor. Channeling his inner Vern Schillinder for the first time in over a decade, his every action, his every word, hell even his body language and emotions were entirely unpredictable for the entire movie, creating an amazingly tense atmosphere in a very different way to most other films. One could certainly not be blamed for pondering: is this man sick? Additionally, as if this wasn't enough, the script he is given to work with is sharper than Daniel-Day-Lewis' butcher knife. Every word he uttered counted, and many of his remarks stung worse than any Amazonian insect, and as if this wasn't enough, the black comedy that intertwines with the rest of the story, for the most part delivered viciously by Mr. Simmons, is unparalleled. Of course, there was a few inside jokes that only a drummer or a musician could fully understand for the most part, but these are sprinkled lightly on simply the best bowl of cereal you will ever come across. Simmons' dialogue was so strong, intense, scary and hilarious that it was impossible to take your eyes away from the screen. Countless insults, many rather graphic in nature, are abound, and coming from Simmons with such ferocity, I laughed almost every time he spoke. His methods, as he says himself, are intended to "push people beyond what is expected of them", a quote that sums up much of what this movie is saying very well.
Opposite J.K. is the newcomer Miles Teller, who sets each drum-kit he touches on fire, with the skill and determination of someone destined to become great. The array of emotions that he experiences as he single-mindedly focuses on the task at hand is the best big-screen portrayal of the inner strength required to reach the highest of musical goals. Immature as the film begins, his character's personality progresses steadily and in a believable fashion, eventually causing the viewer to wonder what he will say next, as his character gradually transforms before out eyes. One can't help but laugh at some of the things he says, often rather bluntly. However, his stunning drum-work steal the show; or at the very least, share the stage with Simmons' performance.
Alongside all this war-like chaos, as mentioned earlier, there are many themes are touched on subtly, including, but not limited to: trust and respect, and how it is earned. The relationships between family members, and the miserable feeling a musician or drummer can feel when their passion, their love, is not taken seriously at all; seen as a hobby destined to be grown out of. It explores the dynamics between band members and their conductor, showing us, realistically might I add, the tension that can arrive in an instant when that many people are trying to perfect one song together. And of course, it shows what real motivation, true focus and dedication can do to a person, both positive and negative, and how far someone will go to get to where they see themselves belonging.
I am a drummer, so I realise that I am naturally going to be a little biased. But ignoring the inside drum jokes, I took myself out of my body, away from the drummer in me, and enjoyed this movie for what it was, as much as every other audience member I imagine, judging from the reaction as soon as those credits rolled. A factor for this sudden outburst of applause most probably has something to do with the thoroughly unpredictable, riveting final scene, that rivals any movie you could name for having the perfect ending. I could go on and on, in fact I am certain I could write a thesis on the amazing scope and execution of Whiplash. But I'll wrap it up here, as I have said enough, and I don't think I need to tell anyone reading this that they must see this movie as soon as they possibly can.