Whiplash
Whiplash was an incredible film. I cant come up with the words to describe how perfect this movie is. Im not a drummer i dont know how accurate the drumming may be but the film itself is perfect. No film has ever caused such a reaction like this one has.
The absolute talent of J.K Simons is astonishing. The way he plays fletcher is so convincing and really thought out but the stand out for me has to Miles Teller as Andrew. You can absolutely tell he got into the right mindset. He embodied who Andrew was and his decent into insanity. His acting is so raw and compelling and i think if anyone else played Andrew they wouldn’t have done it as perfect as Teller did.
The ending of this film is beautiful. When you finish it you feel good. You feel like you got the ending you were hoping for. Fletcher finally found his student. Andrew finally became the best in the world. We see both the protagonist and antagonist get what they want and thats a fulfilling feeling. However, if you look deeper the ending is quite the opposite.
Andrew at the start of the film is shown in a bright light. A passionate student with a burning desire to be the best drummer. As you follow his story, the abuse he suffers, the mindset he developes, leading him further and further into madness. Fletcher destroys Andrews character. He destroys his relationships with others. He destroys any humanity left in Andrew turning him into a machine.
The true ending of this film is about a drummer losing his humanity and fletcher proving his awful teaching methods correct. Andrew is now a machine. His father witnesses him from a far knowing that he is too far to reach. He is too far gone. Andrew is finally the best drummer in the world. Fletchers abuse and torment payed off.
Near the end of the film where Andrew finishes his solo with the help of Fletcher (re-adjusting his symbol) Fletcher smiles at him. Finally acknowledging Andrews talent. After Fletcher abused him. Hurling objects at his head, making him play until he nearly passes out, after all that hard work he kicks him out, rejects him, and Andrew still did his best to play for Fletcher covered in blood and still fails.Even after all of this, Andrew smiles back, forgetting all the abuse he has gone through because he doesn’t care anymore. He finally got to prove to Fletcher that he was the best. The only price he had to pay was his life.
Anyways besides the beautiful story that was told, the amazing director, a real selling point for this movie was the camerawork, lighting, and of coarse the music.
Although the camera work wasnt OUT OF THIS WORLD. It fit so perfectly. The lighting getting darker as the scenes go on, the close ups on Andrews and Fletchers faces at the end, the absolute godly music. (Caravan was genuinely such a beautiful piece.)
One last thing id like the point out the clothing. In the first scene Andrew wears a white shirt. This represents the innocence he had starting the film. When Fletcher is first introduced he is shown wearing a black suit. It represents the darkness that is Fletcher. This is important because later on in the movie Andrews clothes get darker and darker as Fletchers influence on him gets stronger. In the end, both are seen wearing black because Andrew has finally become what Fletcher has always wanted.
TO WRAP IT UP NICELY
this film IS incredible. I loved it so much and it has become one of my favourites of all time. Damien Chazelle did an amazing job on this film and so did the cast and crew.