Whiplash gave us Whiplash

Damien Chazelle's Whiplash (which was just released at the end of last year) has received widespread critical acclaim. After watching it for the first time this weekend, I can attest that the hype isn't an exaggeration.

Whiplash tells the story of Andrew Neiman, a young relatable college student and drummer, who wants to become "one of the greats". One night, while practicing, Andrew is interrupted by Terrence Fletcher, the conductor of the university's top Studio Band. Fletcher eventually gives Andy a spot in the band and pushes him beyond his limit.  

On the technical side, Whiplash is very artistic. The camera angles are quick and numerous, featuring many gritty and uncomfortable close ups. The filter (a yellowish tint) is fantastic for setting the tone of the story. JK Simmons's performance merits an Academy Award (Heh) and Miles Teller plays a very convincing character. 

Whiplash has strong themes of dedication, leadership, and the film has many elements we all can relate to. All of us are like Andy. We want to be successful, rich, famous, whatever it may be, but we don't realize the effort we must put in to actually achieve these goals. Andy is overcome with stress and pain because of Fletcher's constant pushing, but he keeps going. I think that is a powerful message to send to your audience. To be a legend, you must pay the price.