the film's title sums it up perfectly

Rating: Null/10 (27 March 2018)

Andrew Neiman is an ambitious drummer who doesn't just want to be great, but to be one of "the greats." Despite being only a first-year student at Shaffer Conservatory in New York City--perceived by many to be the best music school in the country--Andrew is recruited to join the upper level studio band, but to prove himself he's going to have to survive a tenacious battle of wits with Terence Fletcher, a renowned but unrelenting conductor who uses draconian methods to bring out the very best in his students. Intense, exhilarating drama from director Damien Chazelle pulls you in right from the start and never lets up with vigorous acting and top-grade musical numbers on its way to a smashing climax. Teller is compelling as the youthful student pushed to his very limits, while Simmons (who looks like he'd be right at home in Stanley Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket) gives a brutal, uncompromising performance as his relentless "mentor." A powerful, provocative film about dedication, ambition, and obsession. ***