OH. MY. GOD. These are the three words that come to my mind whenever I remember Whiplash. It's been a long time since I've seen such an excellent film and even though it's extremely difficult to write about something that you've enjoyed that much I'll try to get my feelings across.
How far would you push yourself to reach your highest dream? How far would you want someone -your teacher, your mentor, your role model- to push you? And how much is too much? Is there a fine line between tough education and sheer violence? Whiplash is not a film about drumming. It is a film that asks all these questions, presents a very realistic musical environment and leaves you alone to find your own answer. But meanwhile, it tells a gripping story.
From the opening scene, we get to meet Andrew (Miles Teller), a 19-year-old jazz drummer who aspires to become the next great musician of his generation, and professor Fletcher (J.K. Simmons) who's a conductor at the jazz orchestra of the elite conservatory Andrew is attending. Their relationship is immediately and constantly electrifying - as is the movie that never misses a beat (pun intented). The teacher tries to make the best out of his students and it is apparent that his opinion is the one that makes or breaks careers but his methods are violent, extreme, monstrous and at times irrational. He nearly always asks for the impossible from his students and he never seems to settle for mediocrity. "There are no two words more harmful in the English language than 'good job'" he tells Andrew and he may be right, as it is true that if you're aiming high you shouldn't settle for less than the best you can do, and surely there is always something more that you can give.
And here comes the ethical dilemma that the movie puts you in: If a teacher pushes you hard, how far is too far? Many people in the audience, seeing Fletcher's barbaric behaviour exclaimed "Quit now! I wouldn't have dealt with this any longer!" And that's admittedly the obvious, yet the easy way. Being a classical musician myself, however, I often saw my personal experiences captured on screen in Whiplash - thankfully, not as extreme I must admit- and my answer to the question would always be that there actually is no question. You either have what it takes and you proceed no matter how hard they pressure you or you quit and that means that you're not cut for the art you've chosen.That's what music is about. And that's how the greats of a generation are born. It may be tough, it may feel inconceivable most of the time but that's how it's done.
Whiplash is truly the film of the year. Miles Teller and J.K. Simmons give the performances of a lifetime, the cinematography is amazing, the editing is breathtaking, the directing is suberb. I don't know what else 2014 has in store for us but Damian Chazelle's film is definitely one of the year's -or many years' for that matter- best.
How far would you push yourself to reach your highest dream? How far would you want someone -your teacher, your mentor, your role model- to push you? And how much is too much? Is there a fine line between tough education and sheer violence? Whiplash is not a film about drumming. It is a film that asks all these questions, presents a very realistic musical environment and leaves you alone to find your own answer. But meanwhile, it tells a gripping story.From the opening scene, we get to meet Andrew (Miles Teller), a 19-year-old jazz drummer who aspires to become the next great musician of his generation, and professor Fletcher (J.K. Simmons) who's a conductor at the jazz orchestra of the elite conservatory Andrew is attending. Their relationship is immediately and constantly electrifying - as is the movie that never misses a beat (pun intented). The teacher tries to make the best out of his students and it is apparent that his opinion is the one that makes or breaks careers but his methods are violent, extreme, monstrous and at times irrational. He nearly always asks for the impossible from his students and he never seems to settle for mediocrity. "There are no two words more harmful in the English language than 'good job'" he tells Andrew and he may be right, as it is true that if you're aiming high you shouldn't settle for less than the best you can do, and surely there is always something more that you can give.
And here comes the ethical dilemma that the movie puts you in: If a teacher pushes you hard, how far is too far? Many people in the audience, seeing Fletcher's barbaric behaviour exclaimed "Quit now! I wouldn't have dealt with this any longer!" And that's admittedly the obvious, yet the easy way. Being a classical musician myself, however, I often saw my personal experiences captured on screen in Whiplash - thankfully, not as extreme I must admit- and my answer to the question would always be that there actually is no question. You either have what it takes and you proceed no matter how hard they pressure you or you quit and that means that you're not cut for the art you've chosen.That's what music is about. And that's how the greats of a generation are born. It may be tough, it may feel inconceivable most of the time but that's how it's done.Whiplash is truly the film of the year. Miles Teller and J.K. Simmons give the performances of a lifetime, the cinematography is amazing, the editing is breathtaking, the directing is suberb. I don't know what else 2014 has in store for us but Damian Chazelle's film is definitely one of the year's -or many years' for that matter- best.
0 σχόλια :
Post a Comment