So, we just got back from seeing what Entertainment Weekly calls its #1 Movie of the Year: Whiplash
Guess what? They’re not wrong. It’s a stunning and brutal movie about ambition, talent, and the strength to “make it” even if you have to bleed. Damn…just thinking about it, while coincidentally having the sensational jazz soundtrack playing in the background…it’s a helluva movie.
Whiplash (2014)
Saw this at the Arclight Hollywood theater on December 6, 2014
The image shown right above tells you basically everything you need to know about the story. Andrew (Miles Teller, formerly of Footloose, at least the remake) is a first-year talented drummer at a prestigious NYC music school and his goal is to get into the best jazz school group there, led by Mr. Fletcher (J.K. Simmons). While Andrew is indeed very talented, he discovers very soon that to enter Fletcher’s orbit means a wild recalculation of what it takes to not only be good, or even to be great, but to be one of THE greats. You see, Fletcher is wildly intense and carelessly violent with his feedback and instruction to his group and if you can’t keep up, well, then you’re out.
So it’s a love story, in other words! In a weird way, it kind of is? If your love is constructed solely around talent and perfection and relentless adherence to them and not letting pain, blood or emotions get in the way. It’s a very intense movie and certainly not a “feel-good” experience, but you certainly start to identify with Andrew’s plight. He refuses to give up, but it costs him quite a bit. There’s a moment that kind of sticks with you late in the movie, and it’s when Fletcher indicates that the 2 words, “Good Job”, are the single worst things you can say to anyone. It aligns with the mindset of “everyone gets a participation medal” – is doing this costing us when no one is truly motivated to be better than “good enough”?
Honestly, I guess it depends. I also love the saying, “The Perfect is the Enemy of the Good” – sometimes good enough is better when trying to make progress as you can endlessly chase perfection. Or maybe it is just that Wise Sayings aren’t applicable across the board!? Yeah, let’s go with that.
Needless to say, this movie was fascinating, horrifying at times, and musically thrilling. It is all about jazz and since I’ve been slowly getting more interested in jazz, this only added to my embrace of it. The performances by Miles Teller and J.K. Simmons are amazing – it won’t be surprising to see them nominated and win awards this season. Here’s a trailer if you’re so inclined: