Why I Love 'Whiplash'

With five academy award nominations and two academy awards, 'Whiplash,' caught the attention of thousands. It came to my attention when it first came out in 2014 and I began watching after its Oscar debut. An odd movie to appeal to me as a kid, but it piqued my interest nonetheless.

Andrew Neiman (Miles Teller) is a talented jazz drummer aspiring to not only be at the top of his elite music conservatory, but to be the greatest in the world. Neiman is selected into the top jazz ensemble at Chaffer Conservatory taught by Terence Fletcher (JK Simmons). A teacher that adopts an abstract methodology that pushes his students to the absolute brink of mental sanity to find his next Charlie Parker. Director Damian Chazelle takes the simple protagonist vs antagonist concept and elevates it through gripping, cathartic experiences.

To understand 'Whiplash' one needs to understand Fletcher: an abusive, manipulative individual with motives that are not necessarily malevolent. He truly believes that to become the next Charlie Parker each student has to survive a figurative and physical cymbal to the head. That through constant abuse, intense practice, and overcoming great obstacles is the only way to be great. Fletcher is a master manipulator and a complete sociopath, which constantly keeps the viewer questioning his state of mind. In one scene he can be seen as proud or pleased and in the next, he is throwing chairs and belittling the students in the ensemble. The riveting and terrifying performance from JK Simmons brings Fletcher through the fourth wall. Simmons pushes every line, in every scene, to his maximum to the point where I believe no one else could have played the role.

Neiman on the other hand is incredibly ambitious and persistent; never allowing Fletcher to get the better of him as he plummets further and further into mental collapse. He pushes people farther and farther away to achieve the goal of greatness only to be constantly pushed above that. Fletcher entraps Neiman in an abusive cycle where the only way out is to push harder. Because of this, there is no foreseeable end to Neiman's journey, which makes it all the more engaging as the plot twists and turns and comes to a grand finale.

Overall, the movie is an intense thrill ride that grows further as a favorite of mine with each viewing. Every ride I try to pick up something new, something else to think about as the dynamic of Neiman and Fletcher are so polarizing yet so engaging. The music is phenomenal, the acting is surreal, and the cinematography adds constant emotion to various scenes. The film has so much to study, so much to learn, and theorize. I love movies that leave you with a constant thought that perseverates, refusing to leave your head until either you discuss it with someone or you just let it sit with you until it leaves.