This year marks the 10th anniversary of Damien Chazelle’s second film, “Whiplash.” The psychological drama follows the relationship between determined student musician Andrew Neiman (Miles Teller) and his brutal conductor Terence Fletcher (J.K. Simmons). Even after 10 years, the film has a lot to say about the pursuit of perfection.
Neiman is an aspiring jazz drummer studying at the prestigious Shaffer Conservatory in New York City. One night, while he is practicing, the infamous Fletcher finds him and recruits him to be in the elite jazz ensemble, “Studio Band.” Before he knows it, Neiman is thrown into the abusive world of Fletcher.
Both Neiman and Fletcher are obsessed with perfection. This similarity is the catalyst for the toxic mentor-mentee relationship. Neiman’s obsession stems from wanting to be “one of the greats.” This mindset becomes his whole world; he even breaks up with his girlfriend Nicole (Melissa Benoist) over that. Fletcher, meanwhile, wants to be the one to create someone great, and so he pushes his students to their limit to get greatness out of them.
Each character finds themselves on their own tumultuous path to perfection. Fletcher’s psychological abuse of Neiman fuels his unhealthy attachment to becoming successful in the musical industry. In turn, Neiman pours all his time into his art due to Fletcher getting into his head, drumming until his hands are raw and bloody. The audience can see the toll Fletcher’s abuse is taking on Neiman, who constantly worries that he is going to be replaced.
One of the most grueling scenes in the film is when Fletcher has Neiman and two alternates compete to play in their upcoming performance. Since none of them can get the tempo right, Fletcher forces them to play until one of them is perfect. He screams and hurls insults at the drummers, who by this point are drenched in sweat. When Neiman sits on the stool one final time, he knows that he is going to earn the part. Fletcher continues to berate Neiman to get him to achieve his greatness. Neiman’s hands are dripping with blood that splatters onto the drums below him. After all the tests, he finally earns his spot as core drummer.
Teller and Simmons each deliver intense, riveting performances. They play off of each other, which adds another level of intensity to the film. Alongside their performances, the use of sound tells the story. The fast-paced jazz music used in the film creates a sense of suspense that leaves the audience on the edge of their seats. The score intensifies the pressure of each situation Neiman finds himself in.
This is best displayed in the middle of the film, right before the studio band performs at a competition. Fletcher threatens to replace Andrew when he forgets his drumsticks. He gives his student ten minutes to get his drumsticks and be sitting on his drum kit or he’s out of the ensemble. In a hurried state, Andrew rushes to get his drumsticks, on the way back he ends up getting hit by a truck. As he emerges from the wreckage of his car, the only thing on Andrew’s mind is his performance and he runs from his car accident to the performance hall.
In this scene in particular the sound emphasizes the pressure Andrew is under. As he drives away to get his drumsticks, the music increasingly gets louder until it abruptly stops when the truck hits him. When he emerges from the car, the music slowly picks back up, almost to reflect what he is thinking. The music is a direct correlation to what Andrew is feeling. The score is its own character.
The songs they musicians play are rapid and intense, much like the plot of the movie. The way the score interacts with the separate shots creates a pit into the viewer’s stomachs. They don’t know what erratic behavior Fletcher is going to display and how Andrew is going to react.
Even after 10 years the suspense of “Whiplash” is still captivating. The movie is a cautionary tale for audiences. Practice makes perfect, but at what cost?
Sydney Warren can be reached at [email protected].
