The movie theater was
still. The audience - composed of less than ten movie-goers - were on the edge of
their seats, if not sunk deep in their chairs’ cushiony comforts. Everyone seemed
to have forgotten how to breathe, and could only manage to let out a shrill
laugh or an exasperated ‘whew’ as a lively
jazz tune played and the movie credits rolled.
They had just been
whiplashed by Whiplash - the
electrifying jazz music drama written and directed by Damien Chazelle.
The film follows 19-year-old
aspiring musician Andrew Neiman (Miles Teller) and his pursuit of greatness to
become the best jazz drummer of his generation.
Promising and gifted with
an unmatched persistence, Andrew attends the hypercompetitive fictional Shaffer
Conservatory of Music in New York, and joins the elite student band after being
invited by respected conductor Terence Fletcher (J.K. Simmons) - a tyrant of a
maestro, who grips his students with an iron fist, pushing them beyond their
limits.
Moving an inch closer to
his dream, Andrew endures the kind of hell that comes with practicing in
Fletcher’s band, raising the bar of what blood, sweat, and tears truly means.
“Whiplash”, which made its smashing
debut at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival back in January, is nothing short of
brilliant.
Inspired by his experiences
playing in a Harvard University band, Chazelle brings an unforgettable and thrilling
story that might just be the best movie that this year has seen yet. It has, in
fact, been receiving Oscar buzzes already.
The spotlight also shines
bright for Simmons and Teller, who have both delivered impeccable performances
as the abusive mentor and tormented prodigy.
While Simmons takes the meat
for his monstrous presence in the film as the führer that Fletcher is, Teller -
who is recently seen channeling his inner groove in "Footloose", making people laugh in bro comedies like “That Awkward
Moment” and “21 & Over”, or peeving “Divergent” fans for his portrayal of
the antagonistic Peter – breaks through and steals each scene with his soulful
and vulnerable Andrew.
“Whiplash” is not just a
film about music. It is also a vivid image of the pain and perseverance that
goes with one’s passion and pursuit of glory. Quoting Fletcher, “There are no two words in the English
language more harmful than good job.”
---
---
Watch the trailer:
---
***Notes:
-I do not own any of the photos used above.
-A shortened version of this review was published in the 24 October, 2014 (Friday) issue of the Manila Bulletin under the column of my internship mentor, Sir Nestor Cuartero.
-Read the column here: http://www.mb.com.ph/whiplashed-by-jazz-film/
No comments:
Post a Comment