Whiplash | Blogmas Day 18

Happy Blogmas Day 18!

I heard a lot about this film when it first came out because it got a lot of awards buzz, and so many people were talking about it and praising it. But I wasn't as into awards back then as I am now, so I managed to miss the major hype surrounding it. But now I've seen it (thanks to Netflix!) and I wish I had seen it when it first came out!

Andrew Neiman (Miles Teller) has one goal - to be one of the best Jazz drummers in the world. But he can't do it alone, so when he's picked out by legendary teacher Terence Fletcher (J.K. Simmons), he thinks that all his dreams have come true. But Fletcher knows what it takes to get to the top, and he'll work Neiman as hard as possible to get him there - even if it costs them both everything they've worked for.

This film is amazing.

Right from the first second, the film packs a punch. It begins with a drum solo and completely pulls you into the story without you even realising that the drum beats are holding you in place, keeping your eyes on the screen.

Beginning the film like this makes it clear just how important sound is to the plot of the film. Even without the drumming, the sounds are constantly fluctuating, and this makes the silent moments that much more stark and poignant.

Everything that happens in the film is so intense that you don't want to risk taking your eyes off of the screen. For me, the thing that really told me the most about the film, the director, and these characters, were the facial expressions, particularly those of Andrew Neiman. You can see the passion pouring out of him, and something as simple as the way he looks at his drumsticks portrays how much the music means to him. This is both a credit to the director Damien Chazelle and Miles Teller, who acted this part perfectly.

When I think about this film, the scene that comes to mind is the scene where the group of performers has been made to stay late, Andrew is playing for his life, and his hands are bleeding on the drum-kit. It is without a doubt one of the most powerful and intense movie scenes I've ever seen, and really established what the film was about, and what tone the director was going for. At that moment, it is impossible for your mind to be anywhere else.

Watching this film is an experience. You experience the highs and lows alongside Neiman so strongly that you too feel elated and admonished/ashamed when he does. The film allows you to understand the story from two points of view - you are able to feel sympathy for both Neiman and Fletcher, even though one is supposed to be the 'villain'. When they come to an understanding, the audience does too.

The ending was extraordinary. The way that the music is at its apex and just becomes deadly silent... you're so drawn in that it feels like you've been jolted out of a daydream, as if the last 1hr 40 mins never happened. It's done so well that you're almost upset that it has ended.

Overall, I can't say enough good things about the film, and I would urge everyone to watch it because it's too good to miss!

9/10

It's 7 days until Christmas!

Come back tomorrow for Blogmas day 19!