Whiplash
no bc this movie had me tense the whole time like genuinely i don’t think i blinked once. it’s actually the most stressful movie about jazz drums ever made. like i was sweating watching a guy practice. that’s talent.
jk simmons?? terrifying. actually horrifying. i was scared of him like he was in the room. the way he’d go from calm to demonic in half a second?? no bc how did he not get charged with emotional terrorism. like the “not my tempo” scene alone should be illegal. and when he straight up throws a chair at andrew’s head?? i gasped. like i knew it was coming and i still flinched. bro was playing jazz like it was a war crime.
and andrew?? bro was fighting for his life on that drum set. like he broke up with his girlfriend to focus on jazz. and that whole scene pissed me off so bad btw. like the way he was just like “i want to be one of the greats” and basically told her she’d hold him back?? he really said “you don’t know what you want so you’ll distract me from what i want” like oh okay go practice your little drums then 🙄🙄 the audacity. so when he called her before the final performance all soft like “maybe you wanna hang out” and she hit him with the “i’ll have to ask my boyfriend”?? YEAH. deserved. good for her.
and then the car crash scene… he literally got hit by a truck, crawled out bleeding, and STILL showed up to the performance like nothing happened. i don’t even show up to school if i have a headache. but he was literally like bleeding and sweating and hallucinating and still kept going like no i’m actually scared of the male urge to be the best at something no matter the cost. bro was possessed.
and the ENDING. OH MY GOD THE ENDING. first of all, the way andrew walks up to the stage and fletcher’s like “do you think i’m fucking stupid?” and andrew’s like “what??” and he’s like “i knew it was you.” brooooo. i GASPED. like fletcher fully knew andrew testified against him and still brought him there to humiliate him. and then he CHANGES the piece last minute?? like andrew’s just sitting there not knowing what to play while the audience is staring and i wanted to crawl out of my skin. that was actually evil.
but THEN. andrew just SNAPS. like he takes over, goes feral on the drums (that drum solo was a cinematic MASTERPIECE), leads the whole band, and fletcher just goes with it. and when they lock eyes at the end and fletcher gives him that little smirk and nod?? like “you did it.” no words. no lines. no dialogue. just trauma bonding through percussion. cinema.
rating: 9/10 — no bc it was sick and twisted and stressful and toxic but like. so so good. insane. insane movie. like i want to fight jk simmons and also shake his hand. i want to give andrew a hug and also tell him to log off. it’s just one of those movies where you’re like “this is not okay” but also “this is incredible.” this is what toxic ambition looks like and it was beautiful to watch. like i feel like i need therapy but also a round of applause.