Review of Whiplash (2014) by Leon B — 07 Jun 2015

Review:

I was really looking forward to watching this film because I have been drumming since I was a little boy and I know that jazz drumming is one of the hardest methods to master. The movie is about an inspiring drummer who tries his utmost to impress the top instructor in his school. After showing him his determination and dedication to his art, he gets promoted to be the head drummer in his orchestra but the teachers ruthless methods and constant search for perfection, takes his toll. The movie is original and entertaining from beginning to end. The drumming from Miles Teller is superb but it's J.K. Simmons nasty methods that impressed me. The storyline is quite basic and it seemed really short, for some unknown reason but it's very entertaining and I'm glad that it got the recognition that it deserved. If your not into drumming or jazz music, the relationship between the teacher and student is worth a watch because it shows how far a person will go to achieve perfection. Enjoyable!

Round-Up:

This is the first major film from Damien Chazelle who also wrote the strange Grand Piano starring Elijah Wood. With such a small budget, he really did get the most out of actors which got J.K. Simmons an Oscar, Bafta and Golden Globe for Best Supporting role. That just proves that audiences always like a good baddie! Anyway, Miles Teller who also starred in Divergent, 21 and Over and Rabbit Hole, hasn't done to bad since he came on the big screen 2010 and he has a major role as Mr. Fantastic in the new Fantastic Four franchise. J.K. Simmons has starred in over 100 movies but he's mostly known for playing J. Jonah Jameson in the Spiderman movies. Anyway, I thoroughly enjoyed the movie and I hope that more people will get to watch it, now that it's on DVD.

Budget: $3million.

Worldwide Gross: $14million.

I recommend this movie to people who are into their deep dramas about an inspiring drummer who gets pushed to the limit by his ruthless teacher. 8/10.