Whiplash review

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At long last, I catch Whiplash, a film that I've been anticipating for a long time. It's garnered some Oscar buzz, and it's warranted: Beyond a shadow of a doubt, Whiplash is going to make frequent appearances on the nominee list. Between its riveting direction, and strong performances from its stars, Whiplash is one of the year's best movies.

Andrew Neyman (Miles Teller) is a talented young jazz drummer, who ambitiously desires to be the best in his music conservatory and perhaps even one of the most famous musicians of his time. He comes to be part of the school's top jazz ensemble, led by Terence Fletcher (J.K. Simmons), an intense teacher whose methods border on abusive. Neyman quickly becomes more and more obsessive as Fletcher pushes him to unhealthy extents.

Fletcher one of the year's best movie villains. Unlike the antagonists from the various superhero movies of 2014, he doesn't exist on a huge, city-threatening scale. He's simply a damaging influence on the lives of the people playing in his band, although he's characterized with a theatricality that isn't entirely different from the antagonists in those comic book movies or something like Snowpiercer. Simmons plays him with intensity, possessing the chops to really punctuate his abusiveness. Were it not for Teller as Neyman, Simmons would deserve a nod for Best Actor at the Oscars.

Yet, Teller's is truly the stand-out performance of the film. Neyman's character is brought down by his own obsessions, which destroy him both physically and mentally, while ruining his relationships with friends and family. Through Neyman, the film can be seen as an analysis of ambition, asking to what extent it is healthy, though it's uncertain if the lengths to which Neyman goes are really realistic for someone to take. Still, Teller's performance is pitch-perfect, capturing Teller's aspirations, his frustrations, his decline over the course of the movie, and his eventual rebound with aplomb, allowing the character to truly shine.

All of that is enhanced by Damien Chazelle's direction, which is assured to win him some award nominations in a few months. His fast cuts and effective use of tight shots raise the film's intensity, and combined with the characters and story make Whiplash a brutal sit in the best way possible. Never does Chazelle let you up for air, and he composes scenes like nobody's business. All the elements of his film work in concert, resulting in the movie being positively enthralling.

Interspersed throughout the movie are moments where the band plays classic jazz songs. These moments are superbly directed, featuring rapid cuts and close pans along the various instruments. Whiplash is able to continue its story without interrupting the music, typically using these scenes to further establish the conflict between Neyman and Fletcher. This is helped by the excellent performances of the two stars, eventually culminating in an excellent final scene, one of the year's greatest.

It was disappointing to see the theatre as empty as it was, as more people need to see this movie. The best hope is that cinemas decide to screen it again after its inevitable Oscar nominations, though if not, the film comes out on home media in February. This is a film directed with intensity and passion, featuring two stars matched in their acting talents. It's a movie that holds your head down and gives you no space to breathe-and it's enthralling.

10/10