Not since Black Swan have the body modifying rigors generated from one’s dedication to an artistic discipline, been rendered so graphically on film. Miles Teller is Andrew Neyman, a freshman jazz drummer at a prestigious, Juliard-esque music school in Manhattan. He meets his match in one intimidating instructor named Terence Fletcher. I know the path it takes to be the best at anything requires perseverance and pain, but what Andrew goes through is something akin to cruel and unusual punishment. Whiplash is at heart a simple story highlighted by two outstanding performances.
Anyone who has ever seen J.K. Simmons’ intense portrayal of Vernon Schillinger in the HBO series Oz knows the man can play frightening. His work in Whiplash is a seething vessel of vitriol that holds commitment to craft above everything else. He wants to mold this young freshman into the next Charlie Parker and this is his means of extracting greatness. “There are no two words in the English language more harmful than good job.” he says. But his speech goes much farther than that. His ignominious directions in class are profanity laced tirades. His character is closer to the drill instructor in Full Metal Jacket than any movie teacher you‘ve ever seen before. What J.K. Simmons achieves as Terence Fletcher is something of an anomaly. He plays a teacher so abusive, it borders on caricature. Some of his antics will either provoke disgust or laughter. I heard quite a lot of the latter at my screening. But that’s partly what makes his performance so mesmerizing. It’s both a fearsome and fearless achievement and one that will undoubtedly court Oscar talk.
Miles Teller is extremely effective as relating the devotion it takes to be one of the jazz greats. As Andrew, he has had to make tough choices in his life. He is a young man with a singular purpose to achieve his dream to be remembered. At one point a terse exchange while eating with family causes him to say this: “I’d rather die drunk and broke at 34 and have people at the dinner table talk about me than live to be rich and sober at 90 and nobody remember who I was.” That outlook is reflected in the decisions regarding his social life. He is sincere and honest, but also perhaps a bit unsympathetic. This is exemplified in a conversation he has with his girlfriend shortly into their relationship. Their interaction is short but what is said is key. In many ways a discourteous, but authentic moment.
Whiplash is a movie that concerns a teacher and his pupil. Our tale is a relationship focused on music but the subject could’ve been about anything really: ballet, gymnastics, law, nuclear physics – any pursuit that demands a lot of time, hard work and practice. Whiplash unquestionably takes those ideas to the extreme. It makes something outwardly fun and enjoyable, namely jazz music, seem punishing and unpleasant. Miles practices so hard that his hands drip blood. I wonder whether a jazz musician would even warm up to the portrait of their career here. I think it raises a lot of interesting questions though. For example, What amount of torture is legitimately required in order to be legendary? And do “tough-love” methods justify the results? Come to think of it, there was no love – just tough. I doubt many schools could harbor a teacher given to the physical and mental abuse of a Terence Fletcher- even if he did regularly develop gifted students into virtuosos. I still responded to the film though. Miles Teller and J.K. Simmons form a spellbinding duo that compels you to watch. It certainly gives me a whole new appreciation for those musicians that truly excel in their craft.
10-19-14
Fast Film Reviews 
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