Whiplash, a movie review: By Lee Sonogan
(2014) R/1h47mins/Drama,music
Andrew, the main character, played by Miles Teller, joins one of the best studio bands in the country and is mentored by an instructor who will stop at nothing to make his students evolve and be more. There is a lot of good music in this movie and the story gets very intense as Andrew tries to achieve perfect rhythm according to his instructor Fletcher, played by J.K. Simmons. Both actors have chemistry in the scenes they have together. It was made with a budget of $3,300,000 and made over thirteen million at the box office.
The main character has a dream and will do anything to fight for it. Andrew pushes he limits beyond what he can normally do and it leads to an ending of a movie nothing like anything you have seen before. The film was shot in 19 days. Early drafts of the original screenplay was written as a psychological thriller.
The director and writer of the film, Damien Chazelle, could not get funding for the movie, so he instead turned it into a short film and submitted it to the Sundance Film Festival in 2013. The short film ended up winning the Short Film Jury Award, and he got funding soon after.
During the more intense practice scenes, the director wouldn’t yell, “Cut!” so that Miles Teller would keep drumming until he exhausted himself. J.K. Simmons suffered two cracked ribs when Miles Teller tackled him during the last two days of shooting. Simmons managed to continue working despite his injury. Although a visual double was used, all of Andrew’s drumming was performed by Miles Teller himself to pre-recorded tracks. About 40% of Teller’s drumming was used in the soundtrack.
Overall, I found myself lost in the story. Its themes and ideas suggested not to just settle and keep asking more of yourself. I am still a thing of this movie and I watched it a few weeks ago. This is the best movie that I have seen the actor, Miles Teller in. I recommend this movie to any cinema lover or casual moviegoer because this movie has a powerful message. The music and the story behind it make you want to continue the movie to the end.
8.1/10
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