Who would have thought the drums could have been a premise for war? Damien Chazelle did, and boy does it make for an electrifying war, between JK Simmons’ menacing, aggressive conductor, and the underdog, Miles Teller’s Andrew Neyman. And I’m obviously not the only one who thinks so; Whiplash has five Oscar nominations under it’s belt, including one for Best Picture.
Andrew Neyman is an aspiring jazz drummer, who is ecstatic to receive the call up to Terence Fletcher’s (Simmons) renowned jazz band. But little does he know how tough life is at the top. It’s a baptism of fire for Neyman and it doesn’t get much easier. Fletcher is ruthless and constantly demanding more, forcing Neyman to make a choice: to go all in, or go home.
Miles Teller is one to watch: his performance here is brilliant, and he’ll be headlining one of the biggest films of the summer, The Fantastic Four. He probably deserved an Oscar nod for his portrayal here, but he missed out on a nomination. Simmons is magnificent. He has always played bit-parts in movies and here he seizes his opportunity in the limelight. He is terrifying, bullying everyone around him into submission. The plot has twists and turns, and never ceases to surprise. It’s mesmeric.
You may have heard of the big buzz surrounding American Sniper, which also came out this week. It’s average. Whiplash smashes it in every department. The title of this film is perfect; this film throws you from high to low, and side to side and by the end of it, you’ll be left wondering what hit you.
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