Whiplash Review

In case you missed it, the 2015 Academy Awards took place last month. Reviews of the event itself were mixed, but it cannot be denied that some of the movies honored at the event were truly spectacular. The Academy Awards are wonderful publicity for the movies that are nominated. After all, the event serves as a validation as to how good some of these movies are. A nomination for a prestigious award such as Best Actor, Best Director, or Best Picture will go a long way in persuading someone to watch a movie. With that in mind, ASTOABW would like to give special attention to some of the movies honored at the Academy Awards. First up: Whiplash.

Though it was nominated for Best Picture and is #37 on the IMDP Top 250, the big selling point for Whiplash is the incredible performance given by J.K. Simmons. Not only did he win over 30 awards for his performance as Terrence Fletcher (including the Oscar for Best Acting Supporter), but his performance is already being considered one of the most iconic performances of the decade. The lead actor, Miles Teller, also gives a splendid performance as Andrew Neiman, a young drummer with dreams to be a great  jazz musician.

The story revolves around the relationship between Neiman, a first-year student at the prestigious Shaffer Conservatory, and Fletcher, the conductor of the jazz band at Shaffer. Neiman is placed into the core band (the main band) after Fletcher hears him play. Though Fletcher first appears to be kind and forgiving, it soon becomes clear that that is not the case. Fletcher is hell-bent on finding the next jazz legend, and he will stop at nothing in order to do so. He pushes Neiman, often with unconventional methods, to reach his full potential. The performances by both men, along with their incredible chemistry, is what drives this movie.

At a running time of 107 minutes, the movie does not drag in any spot. Any deviation from the main plot ties in beautifully with the rest of the movie. It results in the viewer being completely glued to the screen, a true cinematic miracle. On top of that, the movie is punctuated with a beautiful soundtrack (they won an Oscar for Sound Mixing). It is all but a guarantee you will be humming "Whiplash" and "Caravan" for at least a few days after you watch the movie.

If you haven't watched Whiplash yet, hopefully this post persuaded you otherwise. It is a truly excellent movie that is worth your while.