Whiplash movie review - Aussieboyreviews
DOES WHIPLASH ONLY OFFER THEMES OF DETERMINATION IN MUSIC?
Average themes of striving as a musician are probably the smallest themes this film has to offer. Whiplash is a very intense, heavy and stressful drama mainly focused on the verbal abuse and intimidation from a terrifying music teacher.
Storyline
After enrolling in a music conservatory to achieve his dreams of greatness and success as a musician, a determined young drummer is pushed beyond his limits by a music instructor with extremely harsh training methods who will push his students beyond their limits to discover their potential.
Movie Images
Movie details
Director: Damien Chazelle
Cast: Miles Teller, J.K. Simmons, Paul Reiser, Melissa Benoist, Austin Stowell
Writer: Damien Chazelle
Release Date (Australia): 23 October 2014
Runtime: 106 minutes/1h 46m
Genre: Drama, Music
Country: USA
Language: English
CONTENT GUIDE (warning: May contain spoilers)
Themes in the film centre on a music instructor abusing his students, including scenes in which he verbally abuses them and displays physical aggression. The film also features verbal references to suicide and a depiction of a car crash.
The film features depictions of slapping, scuffling, injuries as a result of drumming and a scene depicting a car crash, accompanied by blood detail.
The film features a singular use of “c**t”, frequent and aggressive use of the word “f**k”, and use of the words “s**t”, “bitch”, “d**k”, “p***y, “ass”, “f****t”, “damn” and “hell”.
There are verbal references to heroin throughout the film.
None.
Crude verbal references are made to sex, including sexualised use of the word “f**k” throughout the film.
mpaa rating
R (for strong language including some sexual references)
Aussie boy's thoughts
J.K. Simmons gives an unbelievable performance as a terrifying music instructor pushing his students beyond their limits to discover their true potential; you will never see this talented actor the same way ever again after watching Whiplash. This movie is a maddeningly stressful, incredibly intense and psychological study on how a toxic student-mentor relationship can have such a profoundly negative impact on a person’s mind, life and personality.
Have you ever had a teacher who was extremely harsh and who you dreaded being under the same roof as? Who broke through the boundaries or chucked horrible insults right in your face? Or who was even an abusive bully and swore loudly in the faces of his students? Well, the characters and concept of Whiplash were inspired off of writer/director Damien Chazelle’s own life experience with an intense music teacher. Miles Teller takes on the role of a determined young drummer who desperately wants to succeed in music who is accepted into the band of a praised music instructor, played by the one J.K. Simmons, whose extremely harsh training methods push the students beyond his limits.
Damien Chazelle’s role in the project, although some musicians suggest that his writing isn’t realistic enough, is absolutely impeccable. As said, he’s been in the similar shoes of the ambitious protagonist he’s created, so he knows how each scene’s camerawork and angles should operate, and the precise colour tone that will match the mood, story, themes and feels. Whiplash also features one of the most intense and epic endings of movie history in a lengthy sequence. The acting deserves a whole seperate page to discuss in full detail, so forgive the specifics that aren’t mentioned here, but Whiplash isn’t just a masterfully-constructed drama that constantly keeps you on the edge of your seat. It’s also a heavily stressful and intense drama blessed with performances that couldn’t possibly be more immersive.
If you’ve been this passionate about success in a certain area before, you’ll be able to completely understand Miles Teller’s character. You will feel every disappointment, every score, all of his determination and passion, and you’ll feel just as under the risk as his character is. But most of the weight you feel on your shoulders undeniably comes from Terrence Fletcher, one of the greatest antagonists of all time enrolled by J.K. Simmons. He is so damn terrifying and extremely traumatic as the enemy in Whiplash. Due to the acting, direction, intensity and psychology of Whiplash, it’s easily one of 2014’s rare movie gems.
Thank you for reading this page and for more Aussie Boy reviews, visit Aussieboyreviews.com.