Mark Kermode reviews Whiplash

Mark Kermode reviews Whiplash. A talented young drummer enrols at a music academy, where he is taken under the wing of a ruthless instructor.
Please tell us what you think of the film -- or Mark’s review of the film below. We love to include your views on the show every Friday.
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Fridays at 2pm on BBC 5 live.

[@MrShoryuken1]

"Full Metal Hi-hat" - that is inspired haha!

[@MrUndersolo]

I am going to use that one day...

[@sorleyfairbairn3152]

Full metal whack it

[@jameslang7722]

@@sorleyfairbairn3152 better

[@sebwilkinson6014]

The last ten minutes of this film literally gave me constant, rolling goosebumps. I've never experienced it before, it was just that good.

[@gsa219]

If you ever saw JK Simmons as Vern Schillinger in the HBO drama Oz, you always knew he was this good.

[@roxyqueen2]

JK Simmons was fantastic, but no one seems to be recognising Miles Teller as much. I mean, he did all that drumming himself.

[@carljthatsme94]

70% of the drumming but hey he was brilliant

[@Ronalro12345]

Director said 90% but I get the point;)

[@jaKthemighty]

very good point, Teller really spilled his guts making that film. I don't know how he avoided a heart attack.

[@niceguygav]

Agreed, thebrabon1, you really are very stupid and starved of attention, hence the reason you said something so ridiculously dumb!! Well done!!

[@lexikamenturner228]

roxyqueen2 I don't think Miles is a particularly good actor - he's just a very good drummer, working with a very good actor. It works fine, but if there were another actor who could have played as well, it might have been a better film.

[@crazycatman5928]

As a drummer of over 23 years and guitarist for 17 years.....whiplash is a great movie. Learning music can drive you crazy to the point it’s all you think about. Easy to get obsessed over. It can take a lifetime and you’ll still never learn all you can. I spent over 10k hours crafting my talents and it would take my multiple lifetimes to accomplish pure perfection.

[@gs8494]

Obviously not a musician that went to music school, or if you did then realism wasn't your priority when you went to see this movie.

[@bibbitibob]

Whiplash gave me such an adraneline rush, especially the final scene. My new favourite film.

[@123rockfan]

Kermode not a jazz fan? I'm genuinely surprised

[@beanie7965]

I don't think he was saying he was proud of it, I think he was saying he was surprised to like the film so much in spite of his lack of interest in Jazz

[@woodhd]

quite clear to me that marks no chin-scratcher ... i believe his one concession is mingus' black saint and sinner lady, on the basis that its basically a hard boiled noir city crime flick, no dialog and the brightness turned all the way down

[@SatanDynastyKiller]

I agree, his snotty attitude to Ferrell/Sandler etc etc films would have had me believe he would think the jazz greats were too popular and he preferred “real” jazz...

[@NickHunter]

@@SatanDynastyKiller Well two of his favourite movies are punch drunk love and uncut gems and he talks very highly of in bruges, but let's be real most Sandler films are pretty trash

[@LeGronk]

@@NickHunter as are most Ferrell films, so the 'snottiness' is really just discernment.

[@jonathanb1406]

I don't think I know even a single drummer joke.

[@gezblair]

Jonathan B what's the difference between a drum machine and a real drummer. You only have to punch the information into the drum machine once. How do you tell if the stage is level? The drummer is drooling from both sides of his mouth. How can you tell a drummer's at the door? The knocking speeds up. What's the last thing a drummer says in a band? "Hey, how about we try one of my songs?"

[@kingstumble]

What do you call someone who hangs around with musicians? A drummer.

[@jamesbell1186]

kingstumble oof that’s a good one

[@NxDoyle]

What's the difference between a couple of pizzas and a drummer? The pizzas can feed a family.

[@Liusila]

Gez I don’t get any of those.

[@waffleweave]

Just saw it this week. Easily the greatest film of 2014. J.K. Simmon's performance will go down as one of the greatest antagonist/bully characters ever! And like everyone has said, the last 15 minutes is one of the greatest endings in cinematic history!

[@calvinnigh5489]

I know this is a nine year old comment, but I’d love to know if you think Birdman was undeserving of the best picture Oscar it ended up winning over this film?

[@waffleweave]

@@calvinnigh5489 Birdman was also a great film. Was happy it won but definitely prefer Whiplash.

[@calvinnigh5489]

Fair enough.

[@johnPaul-qn3dg]

I have always liked JK Simmons since the days of OZ, he was one mean scary guy in that.

[@SatanDynastyKiller]

Yip, facts...I also liked him in The Mexican and Burn After Reading, not great films but he always adds to the films he stars in, but yeah I first noticed his star power in Oz, Schillinger was a badass nasty neo-nazi...

[@johnPaul-qn3dg]

Agreed he ramped up any scene he was in.

[@lucasbowers58]

What I noticed about fletcher was that when he meets that little girl who is learning the trumpet he tells her that ‘that’s great’ and to ‘keep practicing’ which turned the character on his head for me. It made me think that he only treats people who have made the decision to commit themselves to the music at an official conservatory with anger because they believe that they are at a level worthy of being in a band, meaning that they should be held to a certain standard. For example, if he became a freelance piano teacher, I don’t think that he would treat his students with the same anger because they just want to learn and grow, they haven’t committed themselves to that pursuit of musical professionalism

[@fresamouse]

the original screenplay actually shows this, andrew is (almost) about to quit shaffer, but fletcher calls him into his office for a chat which is something he does with everyone who is about to leave. he actually congratulates andrew for making the decision and speaks with a warm tone to him. i'm a piano tutor, and this is 100% true. when they are at a beginner level, you can't allow yourself to get as cross as people who are more advanced.

[@butcherjsy8]

Kermode made an interesting connection with Full Metal Jacket which I agree with, I also found parallels with The Devil Wears Prada, more than a few actually.

[@FilmFarts]

This movie is so much better than birdman and should have gotten so much more nominations. After I watched it I couldn't stop shaking and my heart was pumping so fast

[@bennyjones1655]

FilmFancier365 I enjoyed Birdman about as much as I did Whiplash - that is to say, a lot - and I think they are two great films about very similar themes - the need for respect and validation - but they were able to tackle the issue in two vastly different ways, Birdman taking the very surreal route and very intrapersonal antihero kind of way, whereas Whiplash has the hero experiencing this drive towards success from his mentor, someone who is willing to use unconventional means to push him over the edge. Both films focussed on the sacrifice required to become a great, whether it be family sacrifice, or even the sacrifice of your own sanity and moral self. Both films may even be interpreted to argue that the loss of their protagonists' moral self was necessary in order for them to become a "full fledged hero" - Birdman (spoiler alert) flying off in the end, and Whiplash (spoiler alert) becoming the true great he always wanted to be, the next Buddy Rich. But in a sense, they depict two heroes at two very different stages of their life, with different environments, but essentially sharing the same aim - to become a great in their respective niche of art, perhaps one that is unduly dying (jazz and theatre respectively), and to do so while risking everything they hold dear.

[@sylvesterstallon3]

after watching this film I felt angry, stressed, horrified and gloriously smug all at once

[@maxwellsmj]

B how is it the same thing from beginning to end?

[@maxwellsmj]

B I mean I’m not arguing that Whiplash should’ve beaten Birdman for best picture, I personally really love both of those films. But I think that Whiplash does deserve credit for its themes that are more subtly developed through the characters’ motivations and perceptions of the world.

[@Tasbo1982]

Brilliant review - absolutely rocking film. The ending is truly incredible.

[@The3rdGunman]

I watched this movie in my room by my damn self and as soon as it ended I instinctively stood and clapped like crazy. That last 10 - 15 minutes is absolutely a work of genius and art.

[@quuu42]

If JK Simmons doesn't get every Best Supporting Actor award going this 'season' there is something wrong with the world. Such a great film, Teller was great but for me the best things were the music and Simmons. Oh and that ending: WOW.

[@JorWat25]

I come from the future, and I can tell you that according to Wikipedia, he won 39 out of 43 Best Supporting Actor nominations.

[@ds37]

Best movie I've seen last year. I'm running out of things to say about it, stellar performances from lead Miles Teller and even better performance from the supporting actor JK Simmons. All around great directing and wonderful soundtrack (duh). It speaks volumes about ambition, mentorship and sacrifices required to reach own's goal. Massive kudos.

[@StefanWB]

I found Whiplash to be traumatising. During one of the early band scenes, I almost started crying, and there were several points throughout when I almost lost it. I held myself together until the end, and as my father and I were leaving the screening, I collapsed into a corner and burst into tears, something I've never done in my adult life. Maybe it's because I could relate to the main character, as a socially awkward person who used to play drums but didn't have the passion and drive needed to be really good at it, but I think it was more to do with the intensity of the film. It was the combination of the direction - the close camera work, the angles, everything - the fierce, brutal intensity of J.K. Simmons performance, and the depiction of what is essentially a psychologically abusive relationship between a teacher and a student. I've read some interviews with the director where he said that this intensity was what he was going for, and for that, I have to say this film is a complete triumph. It's exceptionally well made and executed, with stellar performances. But due to my difficulty in watching it and my tearful breakdown at the end, I now describe Whiplash in the same category as films like Antichrist and Incendies - films which I hugely respect and consider to be seminal, boundary-defying, master works of modern cinema, but which I never, ever, ever want to watch again. One last note - a close family relative is married to a serious musician (trumpeter), a graduate of the Royal College of Music, and he said watching Whiplash for him was like a doctor watching Holby City. I don't think that takes away from the drama at all, but just thought it was an amusing comparison.

[@TheMaxlewis87]

lol

[@isabellamorris7902]

I can completely see why this movie would invoke that reaction and it is brilliant at doing it. Personally, it set off all my self-flagellating, competitive, paralysing-fear-of-failure instincts... in the worst kind of way, it was almost motivating! And it entirely misses the point of the movie to think of it this way, but it evokes a very visceral reaction.

[@subroy7123]

" films which I hugely respect and consider to be seminal, boundary-defying, master works of modern cinema, but which I never, ever, ever want to watch again." Funny, I thought the same thing about Foxcatcher in 2014. I'd revisit Whiplash any day of the year, though. I respond to well-edited movies, so this one's a gold mine. The ending was pretty dark, I'll give you that. As to the Holby City reference, I don't think Chazelle meant this to reflect a real Conservatory experience. He just took the Conservatory setting and used it as a character study. :)

[@dirkdiggler2234]

I hope your from a rich family and on an easy path....Because life is hard and you sound like a seriously sensitive little fassy hole

[@robertlaidlaw4592]

@@dirkdiggler2234 why don't you just go back into your cave for a few more years, maybe that'll be enough time for you to grow a second brain cell.

[@MattCipolla]

It's now official: Miles Teller is an absolutely incredible actor. Here he surpasses his previously terrific performance in The Spectacular Now, and will without a doubt earn an Oscar nomination for Best Actor. In a fair world, he would win. First of all, he's actually drumming here, and second, he legitimately brought tears of anxiousness to my eyes. Between his acting and the film's precise, strong direction, the film works as a thriller as well as a drama. The script is strong and its characters are subtly built up. Both the screenplay and the performances know that Teller's character could break at any second; even the characters know this. The direction and editing create a constant state of anxiety and suppressed anger. The cuts are clean and quick to illustrate the perfectionism of J.K. Simmons's character and hold on long and almost painful takes that help demonstrate the mental strain of our protagonist. The use of music is fitting and never overbearing, which is quite surprising given how easy it would be to rely on jazz and/or drumming to tell the audience what to feel. What we get instead are two characters constantly clashing heads, letting the filmmaking do genuine work. The basic premise and themes here are comparable to a Darren Aronofsky film--a painfully dedicated person's obsession with perfection growingly forebodes a possible mental breakdown. The difference here, though, is the question that it asks. Without spoiling anything, the audience begins to wonder, "At what point is chasing a potential goal not worth it?" After watching the emotional torment that the main character endures and seeing how his personal life has been affected, the ending isn't really the point of the movie. It's what could happen after the end of the movie that matters, and the preceding 101 minutes lead to that question. It's rare that a movie can simultaneously give me goosebumps and make my lips quiver, but this one succeeded thoroughly. This is my fourth-favorite movie of 2014 (it came out in October in America). 9.5/10, incredible, two thumbs up, so so so far above average, etc.

[@adamadamiscool]

Best 3rd act I've ever seen.

[@Vansmackable]

Totally agree Ben. I see very few movies a year in the theater, but have been back several times for this one. I am not a jazz fan, have zero interest in playing music, but found the ending to be exhilarating.

[@shieldmaiden1749]

'Sinewy symphony' - beautifully put by the Good Doctor.

[@Lee_Forre]

WHIPLASH aka FULL METAL DRUM KIT, whichever way you want it, it's yours.

[@carljthatsme94]

Best film of 2014 a dark piece of cinematic mastery

[@tubemoog]

Enrol vs. enroll The verb meaning to sign up or to register is spelled enroll in the U.S. Enrol, with one l, is the preferred spelling outside North America. The more American spelling is now preferred in Canadian news publications, but enrol was traditionally more common and still appears in many contexts. The spelling difference extends to enrollment (American English) and enrolment (outside the U.S.), but it doesn’t extend to enrolled and enrolling, which everywhere are spelled with two l‘s. The word has taken several forms since coming to English from French in the 14th century. It was originally enrolly (an anglicization of the French enroller), but it was also spelled enroul, enrolle, and inroll.1 Enroll was common from the 17th century on, predating enrol by at least a century. English speakers outside North America took up the newer enrol around 1800, while Americans stuck with the older spelling.

[@kennethmccrindle8886]

I went to a screening of Whiplash and I have to say it's one of 2015's best films. There is no doubt JK Simmons is going to win the best supporting actor at the Oscars. Brilliant directing excellent performance s and this year's shine

[@Prolix8]

I have not seen it yet but my parents and some of my mates have and they've all enjoyed it.

[@graz4792]

Truly great film never to be forgotten

[@emilrostad9720]

Full metal hi-hat! Aaaahahaha!

[@IanTaylorTravels]

Full Metal Hi-hat!

[@sgfisher100970]

Mark gets this bang on. Great film.

[@65g4]

I love Whiplash one of my favourite films of all time

[@knifeofdunwall]

Now I have to see this movie. Is it available on rental yet?

[@braemarbee9889]

Brilliant movie, excellent review by MK as always

[@Cornwall1888]

Best film I've seen for ages I've watched multiple parts many times. The rushing, dragging part is hilarious. Simmons literally shakes with rage lol

[@DarkFireRises]

my fave of 2014.

[@1970jayjayc]

I've never done this, but after the last 10 minutes, I got up and applauded the TV! 😂 A modern classic

[@reinhardtdan3]

One of the best, most perfect movies I've ever seen and has ever been made.

[@livvw]

Something that really stands out in this film is its editing, I feel like it has the film editing win on lock for the oscars.

[@chrishiggins7166]

Director Damien Chazelle delivers A strongly crafted, stylish, effective & powerfully acted music drama that is one of 2014’s best films. (98%) (5/5 stars) (positive)

[@cnrbsmth]

Most musicians I know thought it was a comedy film.

[@Warp75]

Birdman, Foxcatcher & this. Prob good but just haven't got the enthusiasm to go to see any of em. Think I need a holiday

[@raquille1]

JK Simmons is Master Tenzin so major props to that man

[@lewiscranston881]

This my tempo, very interesting film.

[@chrismac2234]

How do you know the guitarist is at the door? He's always late and has forgotten the key.

[@tubemoog]

The best drum teacher I ever had. His name was Forrest Clark. Percussionist with the Los Angeles Philharmonic

[@imyouandurme]

An artist's pain comes from not being able to create what's screaming and clawing to get out. We don't need someone to slap us in the face.

[@NickHunter]

He's a session musician not a composer

[@clanofclams2720]

Wrong kind of artist, bruh

[@fosbury68]

The story about Charlie Parker and Jo Jones happened. A green and unprepared teenaged Parker was "gonged" at a jam session in Kansas City by Jones who tossed a cymbal at his feet (not his head per this film). But Parker's REAL mentor was the great KC alto player Buster Smith who while demanding, WAS encouraging, WAS patient and WAS inspiring to Parker while he developed his craft. The complete opposite the psycho instructor in this bizarre film. God help anyone who identifies with either the dominant or submissive protagonists in this story.

[@LS-oq3qh]

fosbury68 When i was like 10 years old, my father used to teach me piano just like the psycho instructor. The worst thing about having the lesson session with him was that he even dared to insult me. I never retouched Piano again, I never talked to him again. I agree with you. A great musical talent need patience.

[@zalkin83]

Anyone know what short film he's referring to at 6:50?

[@MattA-nz9ze]

It’s called whiplash too, a short film which the film was based off, also directed by Damien Chazelle

[@friday13th1]

Loved this movie. JK will certainly win best supporting actor.

[@irishbloke99]

brilliant movie:)

[@deathtoallfalsemetal]

Preposterous paradiddles got me

[@sanyrub]

The film is amazing and its nomination for best picture is one of the nice surprises Oscars have given us this year.

[@johnjackman8113]

yep.

[@jadchahhal1748]

The greatest movie ever made.

[@hanshotfirst1138]

The only drummer jokes I know are the ones Mark repeats endlessly on the show. And I don't know any bassist jokes other than the ones he tells. Don't be so insecure, Mark ;)! Don't ask him to spoil the ending, Simon, really! "I incidentally am not a jazz fan." Shocking ;). Suppose it's not skiffle and has more than three chords ;)? I kid, Mark, I kid. Like how energetic Mark sounds in the review, it's obviously a very kinetic film which has an energy he's trying convey, and a style that like good filmmaking always is, is difficult to describe and is best experienced.

[@ArrogantDan]

"Yes, the narrative goes off into these... preposterous paradiddles..." Nice.

[@al2smed80]

john lennon was once asked if ringo was the best drummer in the world. lennon replied "He's not even the best drummer in the Beatles"

[@fuzzylogiceire]

This is a myth. That quote is from the comedian Jasper Carrott.

[@jeryth057]

"He's not even the best Jared in the film! " 😀

[@totaltotalmonkey]

I'll cue you in

[@carljthatsme94]

To sum up this movie quickly....there is a scene where Simmons' character forces Tellers' to drum faster and faster for what feels like 10 minutes and it one of the most heartpounding moments in film history

[@tolive8931]

More jokes about drummers than anything in the world? I can't think of a single one.

[@Aperki2010]

How do you know the stage is level? The drummer's dribbling out of both sides of his mouth.

[@tolive8931]

@@Aperki2010 OK that's quite good.

[@markjenkinson3093]

its a movie about the battle of genius

[@johnmcdonough955]

'Full Metal High Hat'

[@danieltester5897]

Both Birdman and Whiplash maintain a theme of performance and performers (even if they have deeper messages) however Birdman falls short with the moments that are meant to exhilarate. Personally, I was on edge throughout Whiplash but the Birdman: not so much.

[@dlv1977]

I just don't trust non jazz fans

[@davebrowne8042]

Not a fan of blues, but this film was superb. J K Simmons should win best supporting oscar, far better than Norton.

[@falkofscrum]

I hate that people call this "original". It is basically "Black Swan" with jazz, and not as good

[@nigelcarren]

The drummer in my band was called Roland... I ended up replacing him with an E-mu! 🤔

[@switchbuckle5th]

Mark Kermode frequently makes grand statements like "There's more drummer jokes in the world than there is about practically anything else" and I'm always left completely baffled. I have no idea what he's talking about. I think his involvement in music and being a musician has tainted his view in this case.

[@bosox730]

Do you know what they call the person who hangs around the musicians? The drummer!

[@wcurty336]

What did the drummer get on his test? Drool

[@FabulousFool31]

What’s the difference between a drummer and a drum machine? With a drum machine, you only have to punch the instructions in once.

[@Sophiaa-666]

Adam Neely's video on Whiplash is great. My/his only real criticism is that it's not a movie about music, it's a sports movie that uses music as it's backdrop - there is no love of music here at all. La la land, which Chazelle made after this, is an infinitely better depiction of what it is to be a creative, to give everything you've got to make it doing what you love. As a sound engineer in the film industry; Whiplash was an exciting, but ultimately kinda forgettable film with a great soundtrack. La la land makes me cry in the opening 5 minutes every time.

[@sperinthalakkat9831]

As a musician, I kinda get it but I think it's a stupid criticism. The music in this could be anything, yes that's kinda the point it's about the dedication and striving to be the best in any field, not the music itself and I don't feel it has to be. It does use music as a backdrop but that's not necessarily a bad thing.

[@tubemoog]

I've had mean drum instructors........

[@hawkeyenextgen7117]

Back when I was in 10th grade, I was in the wrestling class. I was only approximately 120 Ibs at the time and underweight. One day early in the season, my collarbone and ribcage became misaligned. My arms horizontal movement became restricted due to the pain. I asked everyone; my coach, my teachers, my parents to help me see a Chiropractor. No one took me seriously. Because of this injury which I was forced to wrestle with or fail the class, I never won a single match. I felt absolutely devastated. I refuse to see this movie because I am afraid of reliving my own trauma. It’s because of this trauma I fail to understand how so many people including Chris Stuckmann can praise a work like this, and because I fail to understand I feel weak, incompetent, and outcast. Sometimes I feel like all the critics are begging me to see it else I’m missing out on something great; the performance of a lifetime. Is it okay to feel deathly afraid of a film such as this?

[@thebagelsproductions]

Don't watch it if it is going to freak you out. Sounds like you had a hard time back there. Take care of yourself

[@TokyoArcade]

not my tempo

[@Funeralapolis]

I thought it was a truly great film to watch and I was entertained. However, as a musician I just couldn't agree with the philosophy behind it i.e. the idea that you have to play everything note-for-note otherwise you're a bad musician.

[@Januaryastral]

That's not the philosophy behind the movie, that's just what one of the characters says. In fact, I'm not sure he does say that, I think he's asking the kid whether he's rushing or dragging to figure out whether the kid can tell the difference.

[@onggi3388]

he just said ginger baker ?

[@jeryth057]

Ginger Baker was a drummer

[@claudes.whitacre1241]

Fletcher was right. The enemy of greatness is saying "Good job".

[@qualitycontenteveryday6288]

Yes people make fun of bassists but drummers... I dont think so

[@gideoncaplan6814]

How did birdman beat this to best picture?

[@75PistolPete]

one of the greatest films I have ever seen! Goddamn it was good.

[@doylustheboy]

A preposterous paradiddle.............hahahh nice one Kermerz

[@andybullemor-music5928]

Full Metal Hi-Hat 😂😂

[@LeonEvans_Guyver1]

Not quite my review

[@markfudge5642]

Black swan with sticks.

[@AuntyBillKen]

I came out of this movie last night feeling (ironically) 'good job' because a few years ago I stumbled upon the German film '4 minutes', which has a similar premise - gifted student, hard task master, approaching competitions. I can't help thinking this is the unnecessary Hollywood remake. And typically it holds back, which should be impossible to do when you see how much has gone into the film. Yet I feel someone forgot to put a certain ingredient in the mix. There's heaps of passion, for sure, but a single teaspoon of love from Paul Reiser's character could not elevate this to a 'great job'.

[@cfhussain]

Can't see Whiplash... very disappointed. Cinemas are few and far between in North Wales, and the local chain cinema isn't showing it at all. I did manage to see Babadook here, so i am surprised.

[@bouncyshak]

Clearly lawyer jokes are the most popular

[@FlamingParanoiaSpoon]

I know no drummer jokes. None. NONE.

[@Aperki2010]

How do you tell if a stage is level? There's drool flowing out of both corners of the drummers mouth.

[@TheSnelly101]

It surprises me how people immediately label this is as a masterpiece, merely based upon the emotions it makes them feel. Emotions are subjective after all.

[@gs8494]

It's about as realistic as a transformers movie, avoid if you want a true reflection of music school and how it works, watch if you want over reaching drama.

[@molesticles]

Whiplash is my favourite movie from a strong year in film.... Look at my top 45 from 2014 www.imdb.com/list/ls076775727/

[@NxDoyle]

Like many people, I decided to watch Whiplash because I'd heard it featured a great performance by JK Simmons. I got through about five minutes before realising that it wasn't worth it. I don't want to see abusive moment after abusive moment.

[@LyricalWax]

I'm guessing this was set in the 60s right? Otherwise how else would he get away with physical abuse of students?

[@tobyhart]

Prepare for punishment.... Drum roll please The action is humdrum , at best

[@thebagelsproductions]

My hat goes off to you, sir. Bravo 👏

[@Samuelhonkman]

They were both shitty characters played excellently. But Schillinger kills it.

[@hermanmelville3871]

It's about a homoerotic quasi-BDSM relationship.

[@nazirkazi2588]

Can't watch this.. it's terrible to think this is behaviour acceptable because you need to drum. I know there are people who have gone through stuff to become better drummers, but this is just stupid. I admire a lot of drummers, not a single one of them went through this. This is not about drummers, it's about bullies.

[@akash9818]

The movie glosses over reality on so many occasions that it's hard to take it seriously. Miles Teller and J.K. Simmons give great performances but they're both oversimplified characters. Simmons just plays a comic book villain. How no one filed a complaint against him in his time at chauffeur is beyond me. Moreover how did he get a job as the conductor of a pro band despite the fact that he's been accused of emotionally torturing a boy to the point where he committed suicide? Shouldn't Fletcher be in jail? How is he walking free. Moreover some of his actions don't even make sense. He expels a student from the band who is in tune because he didn't know whether he was off tune but doesn't even take action against the one who's out of tune, even though he's completely oblivious to that fact as well? I'm sorry is it just me or is that a contradiction. Car accidents don't seem to bother our protagonist too much. That's the least of his problems. He just couldn't afford any scars at that time so he didn't get any. "There's no to words more harmful than Good Job"? Really? That's not dark, that's not bleak, that's just stupid and simplistic. Whiplash is a film about the pain that accompanies passion, and the blood that's shed on the road to perfection. But sadly, it doesn't execute well. The movie has some tense scenes but the overall result is contrived and unsatisfying. It has a few twists but ultimately it's the same conventional story about the tough love shared by the arrogant apprentice and the abusive master.

[@MrJusmobile]

LOL!

[@ddha0000]

i think you are over thinking it a little.

[@circattle]

Many of us are too intelligent for this movie; it's not really for those of us that "overthink" i.e. think. There was one superb moment though, when we finally hear Fletcher play the piano in the cafe bar and it is every single bit of technical perfection and emotion we would expect from a man who is a hateful psychopath. You can't enjoy that performance knowing what he's really like. That was good. It was "our little secret". The rest was as you describe.

[@akash9818]

***** That really was a brilliant moment.

[@akash9818]

Nautilus1972 Whiplash is a film set in the real world and therefore it must follow the logistics of the real world. It doesn't. And character motivations that you can never screw up in any genre of film. Most fantasy films are mindless entertainment and they don't deserve to be taken seriously. There are exceptions but Star Wars isn't one of them. If you actually begin to critically analyse the plot and its hollow premise, the whole thing falls apart within seconds.

[@r2chard]

I did not, as MK insists I should, come out with a pumping heart. I felt much more like vcmiting. Yes, the editing is impressive and the film is well shot and technically admirable. But the story is preposterous, the characters are totally one dimensional and the acting mannered. (The boy/girl scenes are clearly straight out of the Daviid O.Russell/Mike Leigh school of less script and more ad libbing.) The post car crash sequence where our hero crawls out bloodied but unbowed from underneath (as if) his upturned smoking wreck of a car and then runs off to play on stage despite being covered in blood must surely go down as one of the most ludicrous pieces of plotline - if you can call it that - in the history of the cinema. Dr. Theatre may cure a lot of ills but are we seriously supposed to believe that someone would not have suggested he might just not be in an ideal condition to perform? Strip out the cinematic pyrotechnics and you are left with another US drill sergeant bully boy screaming at his hapless but refusing-to-be-broken recruit. Utter tripe.

[@georgemills-burrows7052]

"US drill sergeant bully boy screaming at his hapless but refusing-to-be-broken recruit." the 'recruit' is only really 'helpless' in the first few scenes. after that, he grows a backbone as he reacts to the teaching style

[@marksegal5789]

Agree - very average picture - movie is to strong a word.

[@Liusila]

I really dislike Miles Teller and I can’t pinpoint why.

[@chilliconcarne5639]

Mr Kermode - I have lost a lot of respect for you due to this review. I just saw whiplash and feel conned by your overhyped, excitable (drunk?) review... I also can tell you are not a jazz fan...