BEYOND THE BREAKING POINT
I’m dreadfully late to the Whiplash party. The film has been making waves since its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, a year ago. Like a stone rolling downhill, it has gathered size, momentum and velocity. Recently it also picked up an Oscar nomination for best picture. Each accolade is richly deserved.
Whiplash is the name of a tune that a student at a prestigious Manhattan music school must master. Andrew, played by Miles Teller, is a jazz drummer who dreams of one day being, ‘one of the greats.’ Pushing him toward that goal is a teacher named Terrence Fletcher, played by JK Simmons. If Voldemort decided to get a teaching gig, he would be Fletcher. Fletcher is, in equal parts, charismatic and monstrous. He hurls chairs at students, slaps them, decimates them with singularly unique insults and plays them against each other in perverse and sadistic ways. Early in the film, he reduces Andrew to tears. When he notices a lone droplet coming down Andrew’s cheek, Fletcher says: Are you one of those single tear people?
Writer-director Damien Chazelle uses this teacher-student dynamic to examine the question of what creates a great artist. Fletcher pushes until his students break. Andrew practices until his fingers bleed. Both go to the brink in pursuit of perfection. Chazelle propels the story toward a heart-stopping climax. The music that is created is glorious. It transports us. But there is a price to be paid. Andrew’s tortured struggle exemplifies Thomas Mann’s famous words — that you can’t pluck a single leaf from the laurel tree of art without paying for it with your life.
Whiplash has terrific performances – Simmons is the man to beat in the supporting actor category on Oscar night. It’s energizing, ferocious story-telling that will force you to think. And I can guarantee that after watching this film, you will desist from telling anyone that they have done a ‘good job.’ Watch and find out why. .
IF VOLDEMORT DECIDED TO GET A TEACHING GIG, HE WOULD BE TERRENCE FLETCHER (PLAYED BY JK SIMMONS). FLETCHER IS, IN EQUAL PARTS, CHARISMATIC AND MONSTROUS. HE PUSHES UNTIL HIS STUDENTS BREAK