Review Tuesday: Whiplash (2014)

  

 

WHIPLASH

2014

An overbearing music teacher forces his students to be over-achievers by using fear and shame as weapons.

A movie about a drummer. A movie about a drummer that came out in 2014. A movie about a drummer that came out in 2014 and I never got around to watching it?!?! I finally got around to remedy that situation.  

 

Andrew (Miles Teller) and a drummer attending a top music school in NYC. He was inducted into the school's top jazz band under the teacher Terrence Fletcher (JK Simmons). 

 

I don't know what to make of this movie really. It's like some jazz drumming S&M porn film. Fletcher is a colossal asshole who terrorizes his students and takes over their lives. It's brutal. It's hard to watch at times. I am left wondering how NON-drummers are able to watch this since it's so drum-intensive, and how this is so critically acclaimed. It's like giving an award for child abuse. As a drummer I understood Andrew's drive, but I didn't understand what would draw other people to stick with this. I dunno? I guess I am glad I finally got around to seeing it, but I feel confused about the whole experience.