Whiplash: A story of ambition and persistence

Alex Etergino, Reporter
@gino_courant

Jackson Mountford, Reporter
@jmount_courant

Whiplash is a 2014 American drama film that tells the story of a young jazz drummer named Andrew Neiman who aspires to become one of the greats. He is a talented musician but lacks confidence, a trait that he believes is essential to succeed in the competitive jazz world. Andrew’s life changes when he is accepted into the prestigious Shaffer Conservatory, a music school known for its rigorous program and demanding instructors. There, he meets Terence Fletcher, a notorious conductor known for his abusive teaching style and his ability to bring out the best in his students.

Upon first seeing Fletcher, we recognize his manipulative nature and cunning personality. He walked into the drumming room wearing all black, while Andrew wore blue jeans and a white t-shirt. This shows the darkness within Fletcher while the innocence within Andrew.

Fletcher takes Andrew under his wing and begins to push him to his limits, both physically and mentally. At first, Andrew is overwhelmed by Fletcher’s hostility, but he eventually learns to embrace the pain and fear to improve his playing.

When we watched the movie, we saw very clearly how Andrew slowly descended into the darkness and became obsessed with Jazz drumming. As Andrew’s talent and dedication grow, so did his relationship with Fletcher. With the relentless pursuit of his obsession, he loses connection with all people in his life except for his teacher and his drum set. With the vanished relationships of his family and even his girlfriend, he becomes lost in the world of drumming. As it continues into the final part of the movie, there seems to be no turning back for Andrew and we see a somewhat depressing manner of film being carried out.

Until the final scene, when we see a battle between the two men, and the final eight minutes is a culmination of suspense and buildup, showing Andrew finally reaching his potential. We personally really enjoyed the overall climax with insane music and a literal battle, showing both men gain respect for each other.

This movie is generally looked upon as one of the best of all time for the intense plot, exhilarating music, and interesting theme of determination through hardship. It has won three oscars, and is rated 8.5/10 on the IMDb, we would say that at 1 hour and 47 minutes, it is a movie well worth watching.