‘Whiplash’: Not for the faint of heart
Photo by Katherine Rountree
Written by Anais Corrales
“Whiplash” can be completely summed up in one word: insane. Fresh from the Sundance Film Festival, where the film picked up both the Audience Award and the Grand Jury Prize, “Whiplash” might actually have you on the edge of your seat. It relentlessly takes a hold of you, rattles you until you’re dizzy and then abandons you with baited breath. Miles Teller and J. K. Simmons are at the top of their game. You can practically smell an Oscar nod in their future.
Writer and director Damien Chazelle’s razor-sharp focus turns a coming-of-age story into a fierce battle of wits, a struggle between mentor and student. Teller plays Andrew, the fresh-faced drummer who has no idea what he’s in for when he joins a cutthroat jazz band.
Led by the fearsome Terrence Fletcher (Simmons), Andrew soon learns that achieving greatness is easier said than done. What happens in the next 107 minutes is an electrifying, almost painful, roller coaster ride as Andrew navigates the exhilaration of success and crushing failures.
Simmons isn’t playing around; he commands the screen in a take-no-prisoners performance. He fixes you with his icy glare as he seems to tear apart your hopes and dreams as the manipulative, ruthless Fletcher. He spits out lines such as, “There are no two words in the English language more harmful than ‘good job.’” He is captivating and also a bit terrifying.
Teller has been unstoppable since last year’s “The Spectacular Now.” He proves he is worth the hype. Teller powers through “Whiplash” with sweat, tears and bloodied knuckles while still managing to keep his cheeky wit afloat. He effortlessly charms as the naïve freshman going on movie dates with his dad, then transforms into the whip-smart musician as he daringly outwits his tyrannical mentor. Simmons and Teller feed off each other with such intensity it is hard to tear your gaze away from the screen.
In a blaze of high-running emotions, “Whiplash” is a movie that might give you a severe case of second-hand stress, watching music students being emotionally tortured by Fletcher. By the end, it will definitely leave you in awe of the powerful forces of Chazelle’s script and the cast’s tight performances working harmoniously together.