Director: Damien Chazelle
Talent: Miles Teller, J.K. Simmons, Melissa Benoist, Paul Reiser
Release Date: 16th January 2015
In Whiplash, Miles Teller plays Andrew, a young and ambitious jazz drummer attending one of America’s top conservatories. Andrew has dreams of being the next Buddy Rich and won’t let anything stand in the way of his success. The film opens with a frosty and tense encounter between Andrew and Terrence Fischer (JK Simmons), the school’s menacing maestro. Andrew is invited to sit as second drummer in the school’s orchestra. Under the tutelage of Fischer the young musician is pushed to breaking point. Whiplash brings the work of David Mamet to mind in its attention to detail and coarse dialogue. Simmons is a genius bully with more malice than humanity. Andrew has many low moments but bounces back to spite Fischer. Ultimately, we’re told that Andrew needs to become a terrible guy to beat a terrible guy, a troubling but compelling message.
Words: Luke Maxwell
