Whiplash
Contains spoilers
Welcome to my first film review. We're kicking it off with Whiplash (2014), because this film has frustrated me enough to brave writing about it.
Miles Teller and J. K. Simmons star in this jazz-themed drama about a college kid named Andrew Neiman (Teller), whose goal is to become the next big name in the world of music and, in particular, drums. There's just one person who will either stand in his way, or catapult him to fame, and that's his mentor Terence Fletcher (Simmons).
This film is highly rated, and other reviews place it on a pedestal. I was impressed with the acting, directing, filming and in general thought it was incredibly well-made. However, I think the concept was flawed, the story was badly executed, and the ending was incredibly unsatisfying.
For the first half, I was thinking to myself what is the point of this? (Hopefully) no music teacher is that cruel, so it didn't feel particularly realistic. Further into the film I recognised the motive and meaning behind it: a depiction of power and the question of how we should inspire younger generations to achieve. Fletcher abuses his power throughout the film, and abuses his students in doing so. It was almost as if taking advantage of his position excited the teacher, and he got a kick from using his power in the wrong way. Clearly, he was turning his students against him and thus against their studies—driving Neiman slowly to insanity and ill health.
This is where another important lesson from this film comes in. Don't let your goals become obsessions. Don't lose relationships in the fight for fame and so-called success. I wholeheartedly disagreed when Neiman said he would rather die young without friends and reliant on drugs if it meant he would be remembered as the greatest musician of all time. Personally, I'd pick friends over fatality. Giving credit where credit's due, I was on the edge of my seat watching the events unfold and hoping Neiman would see the light. Hoping he would prioritise his health and step back into the real world, out of the hellish one Fletcher had forced him into. I cringed at the way he was treated and the way he fell victim to it. The film is absolutely well-crafted.
But here's where it becomes so disappointing. We watch Neiman take back control, get Fletcher fired, and start to recover. Only for him to bump into his old mentor in a bar, and watch him peacefully playing piano as if he hasn't ripped the innocence from adolescents and ultimately caused a death because of it. Neiman falls back into Fletcher's trap, and Fletcher spouts a load of rubbish about how he'll never apologise for his actions because students must be pushed beyond their limits in order to succeed.
Instead of walking away and leaving the monster in his past, Neiman takes the opportunity to play the drums in Fletcher's band once again, in front of an audience of professionals who could get him his break-through moment. It was all a trick, of course, and he's been set up for failure. Neiman being the ambitious young man he is, with a wealth of potential to make it in music, shows Fletcher who's boss and doesn't let this end him. Through an intense finale, he plays what felt like the longest drum solo of all time.
Brilliant, right? Not really, because a clear musical connection between Neiman and Fletcher is demonstrated during this (which disgusted me, remembering how abusive the mentor had previously been to his student), and Neiman's success ultimately suggests that Fletcher's horrendous approach to teaching was successful. By pushing Neiman way beyond his capabilities, embarrassing him repeatedly, risking his career and damaging his mental health, Fletcher does train him into potentially being the next big thing. It may be one way of teaching kids, but it's not the right way.
By ending the film in this moment, a message is delivered that Fletcher was right all along and the only way to truly make Neiman shine was to abuse him. This is not a productive message for modern society. It glamourises power-hungry men who think they can say and do whatever they want and not meet any repercussions. The ending was sudden, and incredibly unsatisfying because we don't know if Neiman will take this success and make a name for himself, but lose his health, family and life along with it. Or, will he kick Fletcher's ass and, if so, why don't we get to see that? I'd be down to watch that.
I feel as though this film could have done more, not only at the ending but throughout. The representation of women was abysmal, and Neiman's relationships with people such as his Dad and girlfriend Nicole could have been explored much deeper. The overall message is damaging, and that massively lets down what would otherwise be a thought-provoking, moving film.