Whiplash

Miles Teller plays Andrew, a young, wide-eyed jazz drumming protege who is moving up at the fictitious Shafer Music Conservatory in New York City (think Juilliard). He runs into veteran conductor Terrence Fletcher like a buzzsaw. Fletcher is played intimidatingly by J.K. Simmons, whose command of the screen is unrivaled in film this year. They develop a relationship that has so many nuanced emotions running through it that I don't have time to go into it in one sitting, but what unravels on the screen is pure magic.

Novice writer/director Damien Chazelle knocks it out of the park in a story without much depth, but plenty of pizzazz. Set to constant jazz music, which is always a cool thing, there is a mood created that is casual, but simultaneously high stakes. The ear of the conductor is more fickle than mine, but I enjoyed the criticisms and the urgency and importance that underscored perfection.

Paul Reiser returns to the screen playing Andrew's single dad in a subtle, supportive role, and Melissa Benoist is the downplayed love interest. Their screen time is limited, which works in the film's favor. The real gem is the dynamic between Andrew and Fletcher.

I've been wanting to see this film since I first heard about it, but it's been eluding me for months. I finally had the opportunity to see it, and let me be the first to say, it is every bit deserving of the 5 Oscar nominations as well as J.K. Simmons' Golden Globe win. The Best Adapted Screenplay nomination is a bit misleading since it is based on the Damien Chazelle short of the same name from 2013. Same writer, same director, I say it's an original screenplay. Potato, potato.

I've seen the Best Picture nominations, and Whiplash is my favorite. The others have their strengths for certain, and it's likely going to come down to Birdman or Boyhood for the win, but if I were a voter, Whiplash gets the nod and let me tell you why.

First off, originality is in short order this year. Boyhood, Birdman, and the Grand Budapest Hotel notwithstanding, there have been an inordinate number of biopics and non-fiction work. Superheroes in the summer, biopics in the winter. What's the film world coming to? I digress. You sort of know what's going to happen to Louie Zamperini when you step into the theatre for Unbroken. Or Chris Kyle in American Sniper. Or Alan Turing. Or Stephen Hawking. Or John DuPont. Or J.M.W. Turner. Or Martin Luther King, Jr. Or Margaret Keane. Shall I continue? Actually I might not have any more. My point is, there is something special and increasingly rare about walking into a theatre and watching a good old-fashioned original story. Especially this year.

Secondly, the performances of the two leads are flawless. The whole point of the film is their dysfunctional mentoring relationship, and there is this bubbling respect vacillating with anger, humiliation, understanding, and an eagerness to please. Fletcher is a viper, but his bites are the driving force for Andrew's ambition.

"There are no two words more harmful than good job." These words are chilling as Fletcher speaks them to Andrew in a rare moment of calm discussion over a drink. They epitomize his teaching philosophy, and as he eloquently explains why he's so hard, you come to understand and almost shamefully appreciate the aggression. There is some palpable kinship between the two. A love for good jazz music, and a mutual respect for the skill and quest for perfection that each is striving for.

Finally, as the final act approaches, everything that has been building slowly comes to a fantastic explosion, and as the screen goes black after a dazzling interplay done solely with their eye contact, for the first time this year, I got chills. That's the mark of a well-done film.

I don't expect it to win Best Picture, but J.K. Simmons' performance will cause him to be seen in a different light. His ability to turn his emotions on a dime is a side of him we haven't seen before. Don't be surprised if this is the start of a late blooming award winner as he will win the Best Supporting Actor, in what has come to be my favorite category because of the glut of perennial ripe roles (although not well nominated this year... I'll explain in a later post).

Go see Whiplash for the music, for the acting, for the writing, and for the tension. Who knew jazz drumming could be so intense? 10/10.