Whiplash
Academy Award × 3
Rent/Purchase
Under the direction of a ruthless instructor, a talented young drummer begins to pursue perfection at any cost, even his humanity.
What critics thought
Broadly acclaimed on release, Whiplash works as a psychological thriller wearing a music-school costume — critics zeroed in on the J.K. Simmons performance and Damien Chazelle's propulsive editing as its twin engines. The main fault line ran not over craft but over ideas: a minority of serious critics, particularly those steeped in jazz, argued the film distorts musical history and peddles a dangerously romanticized myth of abusive genius.
“demolishes the cliches of the musical-prodigy genre, investing the traditionally polite stages and rehearsal studios of a topnotch conservatory with all the psychological intensity of a battlefield or sports arena”
Peter Debruge·Variety
“Teller, who greatly impressed in last year's Sundance entry The Spectacular Now, does so again in a performance that is more often simmering than volatile ... Simmons has the great good fortune for a character actor to have here found a co-lead part he can really run with, which is what he excitingly does with a man who is profane, way out of bounds and, like many a good villain, utterly compelling”
Todd McCarthy·The Hollywood Reporter
“Chazelle's film has a sharp and gripping rhythm, with shots beautifully edited by Tom Cross... often cutting to the crash of Andrew's drums”
Amber Wilkinson·The Daily Telegraph
“In all likelihood, Fletcher isn't making a Charlie Parker. He's making the kind of musician that would throw a cymbal at him”
Forrest Wickman·Slate
“Whiplash honors neither jazz nor cinema”
Richard Brody·The New Yorker
Genres
Drama, Music
Cast & Crew
DirectorDamien Chazelle
StarringMiles Teller, J.K. Simmons, Paul Reiser, Melissa Benoist, Austin Stowell
ComposerJustin Hurwitz
Whiplash
Academy Award × 3
Under the direction of a ruthless instructor, a talented young drummer begins to pursue perfection at any cost, even his humanity.
What critics thought
Broadly acclaimed on release, Whiplash works as a psychological thriller wearing a music-school costume — critics zeroed in on the J.K. Simmons performance and Damien Chazelle's propulsive editing as its twin engines. The main fault line ran not over craft but over ideas: a minority of serious critics, particularly those steeped in jazz, argued the film distorts musical history and peddles a dangerously romanticized myth of abusive genius.
“demolishes the cliches of the musical-prodigy genre, investing the traditionally polite stages and rehearsal studios of a topnotch conservatory with all the psychological intensity of a battlefield or sports arena”
Peter Debruge·Variety
“Teller, who greatly impressed in last year's Sundance entry The Spectacular Now, does so again in a performance that is more often simmering than volatile ... Simmons has the great good fortune for a character actor to have here found a co-lead part he can really run with, which is what he excitingly does with a man who is profane, way out of bounds and, like many a good villain, utterly compelling”
Todd McCarthy·The Hollywood Reporter
“Chazelle's film has a sharp and gripping rhythm, with shots beautifully edited by Tom Cross... often cutting to the crash of Andrew's drums”
Amber Wilkinson·The Daily Telegraph
“In all likelihood, Fletcher isn't making a Charlie Parker. He's making the kind of musician that would throw a cymbal at him”
Forrest Wickman·Slate
“Whiplash honors neither jazz nor cinema”
Richard Brody·The New Yorker
Genres
Drama, Music
Cast & Crew
DirectorDamien Chazelle
StarringMiles Teller, J.K. Simmons, Paul Reiser, Melissa Benoist, Austin Stowell
ComposerJustin Hurwitz
Rent/Purchase