The premise may seem ordinary. The film’s hero is 19-year-old Andrew (Miles Teller, “The Spectacular Now”), an aspiring jazz drummer at a prestigious music academy, no doubt inspired by Juilliard. Andrew lives and breathes – and, in some cases, even bleeds – music, and has the drive to become one of the greats. One night, Andrew captures the eye of the school’s most infamous teacher: Terence Fletcher (J.K. Simmons), who takes Andrew under his wing and puts him in Studio Band.
“Dead Poets Society” or “Mr. Holland’s Opus,” this is not. “Full Metal Jacket” is probably the better comparison. As Fletcher pushes Andrew to his furthest limitations, we see Andrew begin to spiral into free fall, with Fletcher spitting verbal hellfire at him every step of the way. It is here, as the film gains steam, that “Whiplash” veers into unexpected directions with twists, terrors and triumphs along the way.
“Whiplash” has all of the thrills of a great action movie, with several sequences that will leave you breathless, without the blockbuster bombast. While the film is technically stunning, with its standout frenetic editing and jazz score, the movie’s heart lies in its performances. While Melissa Benoist (“Glee”) and “Mad About You” star Paul Reiser are solid in small, but pivotal supporting parts, the central performances of Teller and Simmons as student and teacher are two of the best you’ll see this year. Teller, who impressed in “The Spectacular Now” and has been cast in the “Fantastic Four” reboot, is outstanding as Andrew, who’s put through the wringer time and time again teetering on the brink of self-destruction, yet never loses his drive to become the best. It’s both an admirable and frustrating quality and Teller makes it all shine through.
While Teller is put through the wringer, Simmons, best known for his roles in “Juno” and “Spider-Man,” is the one turning the crank with venomous glee as Fletcher. The role could have easily become a cartoonish, over-the-top villain, but Simmons makes it magnetic and enigmatic. He develops a complexity that makes your stomach turn, elicits the occasional uncomfortable laugh and even earns a surprising small dose of sympathy. It’s a performance that has thrust him into the driver’s seat for the best supporting actor Oscar. When Teller and Simmons are together on-screen, it’s both electrifying and nail-bitingly tense.
In a perfect world, “Whiplash” would be a juggernaut at this year’s Oscars. Unfortunately, it may end up being too small to make that big of a splash, so it will probably get nods for Simmons and Chazelle’s screenplay, with maybe an outside chance at Best Picture.
To say “Whiplash” is solely a music drama would be wrong. At its core, it’s about that mysterious line between ambition and obsession. It’s about how far we’re willing to go to chase what we want and be the people we want to be. It’s also about what we’re willing to do or sacrifice on the way. It’s a film that needs to be seen and one that will thrill and electrify like no other movie this year has done.
