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| Author | DCM |
| Categories | cinema |
The quest for perfection. The lengths one goes to achieve it. The dangers of obsession. These are all explored in Damien Chazelle’s visceral musical thriller, adapted into a full length feature after its success at Sundance last year when it won best short film. Chazelle remains behind the camera for this heart pumping adaptation, and has made a potent film which gives both Miles Teller and J.K. Simmons their most exhilarating roles to date.
‘There are no two words in the English language more harmful than good job.’ This sums up the attitude of sadistic conductor Terence Fletcher (J.K. Simmons), who takes charge of the jazz studio orchestra at the fictional Schaffer Academy in New York. Seeing something in 19 year old drummer Andrew (Miles Teller), he invites him to one of his practices, where his obsessive drive for musical perfection becomes dangerously clear. Hurling cymbals, chairs and venomous insults at his musicians who make mistakes, it’s evident that Fletcher has zero tolerance for failure, and will push all his students to the absolute limit in order to succeed. The film explores the relationship that develops between Fletcher and Andrew, the effects that the former’s values have on the latter and ultimately what the consequences are for both.
Simmons’ performance has a more imposing screen presence due to the tyrannical nature of his character, but Teller’s performance is revelatory as the student who, whilst already driven, goes to physical and mental limits one would never expect at a music academy. He flawlessly portrays Fletcher’s influence on him and the cost it comes at – from his blood-stained hands to abandoning his relationship with potential girlfriend Nicole (Melissa Benoist). Andrew’s development arc through the film is compulsive viewing as he increasingly identifies with Fletcher’s monstrous ideals, and his transformation from the beginning of the film into Fletcher’s subservient is extremely compelling yet disturbing.
Andrew and Fletcher’s relationship keeps the viewer intrigued throughout. It’s unclear if Fletcher is deriving pleasure from toying with Andrew’s emotions, rotating him with two other drummers during rehearsal in one of the film’s most exciting scenes, keeping the whole orchestra behind until one of them plays exactly to his tempo. The physical pain Andrew puts himself through illustrates just how far he’ll go to be Fletcher’s first choice drummer, captured perfectly on film by the beads of sweat flying off the cymbals each time they’re struck. One of Whiplash’s most lasting images is when Andrew puts his bloody hand into iced water after a particularly gruelling rehearsal; the instant colour change to red showing just how much blood he’s lost. With upcoming jazz events and intense competition to be Fletcher’s drummer, this encapsulates just how desperate he is to succeed. From a technical perspective, the musical scenes are something to behold. Especially in the film’s final third, when Andrew’s desire to succeed is at its frenzied peak, the camera captures not just his physical exertions but the mental anguish stamped on his face in close-ups so intense it practically puts the viewer on the drum stool.
As more is revealed about Fletcher’s back story during his time at Schaffer, tension levels are ramped up into what is a wholly absorbing, adrenaline fuelled finale. It’s a fitting end to the questions asked earlier in the film – what is it that drives Andrew? Fear of failure or drive to succeed? It makes the viewer think hard about the dynamic of Andrew and Fletcher’s relationship, and keeps the viewer guessing right to the end about how each character’s story is resolved. What Whiplash manages to accomplish with aplomb is applying such energy to a film whose topic of focus is relatively conservative – the draconian nature of Fletcher would also be suited to films where this extreme dynamic of relationship is more common, such as that between sports coach and athlete (as will be seen in wrestling drama Foxcatcher). That every scene is so emotionally loaded is testament to Chazelle’s directorial talent, especially in adapting a short that was so successful before and carried a risk of not translating easily to the big screen. Whiplash takes its audience on a wild ride, doubling up as a cautionary tale and musical extravaganza, and merits all the critical acclaim that is sure to come its way.
Whiplash is released in the UK on 16 January 2015, so there’s still plenty of time to book. Contact your DCM representative for more information.
Pictures from last night's UK gala premiere of Whiplash and Q&A at the London Film Festival:
(DCM's Anastasia Takis with Miles Teller)