Beat it. Very good to watch. You should not miss such great piece of work....

The story of how an overly disciplined jazz instructor Fletcher (J K Simmons) uses severe admonishment to push the abilities of a drummer Andrew (Miles Teller) who he thinks has the potential to make it great strikes its audience as a parable. Andrew tries normal ways to become a good drummer, but his meeting with ruthless Fletcher narrows his focus and inspires him in a manner we only find in prodigy stories. The film talks about the arduous path to success through a jazz setting, which helps in the recommendation process: people who enjoy jazz music will derive more pleasure from Whiplash.

The film focuses on cussy tutelage and frames it as a necessity in the field of pedagogy. While it also throws light on how evolved the music industry has presently become, we do not fail to realize that strict teaching is what begets great musicians. Factors like perseverance, struggle, grit, and passion are heavily sampled and one may even grade the film as inspirational.

J K Simmons is well-directed, and with his bald cranium, he easily handles the authoritarian air. Miles Teller's hard work is splashed everywhere and one stands and wonders the sheer brilliance with which he portrays the role. His subtle romance, his mild introspections, his familial negligence - all are done so well as the story picks up the gradual pace. While I can vote for Teller to be rising star of 2014, I don't see an Oscar. Simmons should receive the Best Supporting.

Camera work is another best thing about Whiplash. It points and emphasizes on things that hold importance in a specific frame. It moves and focuses and fades with absolute charisma. Overall direction is good. Writing hits few bumps but they are negligible. Editing is very precise as is evident in the final sequence which reaches crescendo both with respect to the music playing and the movie itself. The teachings in the first half suspends its audience as we anticipate every following actions of the characters. While the story doesn't necessarily take a route that we expect, there is delight in every route it tries. Because jazz. Music is atmospheric.

There are times that we feel all the admonishing goes over the line and the story to be a gimmick. Damien fails to draw a line between reality and strange fiction. Ounces of madness here and there makes it an engaging watch. But, it crosses the invisible line and surrounds some frames, causing a mess.

Cinematography and editing may get the nods, but Best Picture looks far fetched.

BOTTOM LINE: Whiplash is brilliant and hard-hitting. It inspires its audience to stop dilly-dallying and go beyond one's own abilities and with drumming, the most laborious music art, it succeeds in conveying the message. Recommended!

HEADPHONES recommended!

What's wrong if a teacher; or in this case a sound conductor goes harsh on his student for a greater good? This I think is the moral of the story.

The movie about a drummer Andrew and his ups and down chemistry with his sound conductor Terrrnce played by J K Simmons.
Amazingly directed, acted piece of a movie from 2014. Surely the must watch for J K Simmons performance as his best work I have ever seen. Awarded for his role by A Golden Globe.

Rating : 4.5 out of 5

How many times it happens that you finish watching a movie, and instantly you sit to re-watch it. It is to that extent electrifying, zealous and energetic. Rare has drama felt so alive like a live wire, so astonishingly beautiful. This all has been possible due to the engaging and one of the best screen-writing which has tempo like Jazz drumming, from start to end, and fused with two incredible forces in form of two characters, makes this movie much more than a Jazz musical drama. In disguise of Jazz, this movie deals with emotional damage and conquering it ambitiously that is inspiring and equally thought provoking. Damien Chazelle has very smartly woven the thrill in a musical movie about relationship of music teacher and aspirant Jazz drummer, that initially looks predictable but engaging in first half an hour, later turns it into something different altogether , that was unexpected.

Andrew Neiman (Miles Teller) is a very ambitious guy, focused and stubborn who studies drum in nation’s top music conservatory in New York and aspire to be like late jazz drummer ‘Buddy Rich’. Shaffer conductor Fletcher (J.K. Simmons) is not merely a band ‘instructor’ who swings his hand in air according to musical note, but he believes in pushing his students beyond their individual’s expectation. Imagine the friction between two such characters and exactly that makes it worth watching itself. So after Fletcher takes Andrew under his wing as main drummer in the band, Andrew thinks that he has moved step closer of achieving his dream. Soon he realizes that it is still distant dream for him,given that Fletcher is strict stubborn, and has barbarous technique to deal with his students. What keeps him focused even after odds, is that the failure is never a choice for him. He is scared that if he does not succeed, he would be no different from his father who is a failed writer. He takes all the measure not to distract himself from drumming, even if it demands for breaking up with his girlfriend.

Carried by thrilling performance of both the lead cast, Whiplash is one of the best edited movie of this year that has captured so many little emotions in its short running length . Importantly, it does not derive any sympathy for constant failure of its character. Instead, movie focuses more on emotional damages that is initiated at expense of physical damage. Very intricately movie deals with the character artists who are bordering on verge of being obsessed and achieving dream. It romanticizes with Andrew’s frustration, desperation and obsession in such matured manner that it is almost impossible to say that Miles Teller is actually performing the role than he himself living the character. But certainly, revelation of this movie is none other than front runner of Academy for Best Supporting Actor, Mr J.K. Simmons as verbally and physically scurrilous Shaffer . Watch out for the climax and let me know if your heart is not pounding or you do not scream from your gut, at