2014, 107 mins
not quite my tempo.
Whiplash proves that drive, exhaustion, refinement and passion will lead to musical brilliance and mastery. But for Andrew Neimen this does not come easily. Motivated by his brutal leader, Terrence Fletcher, Andrew is constantly swerved off his path to success by mind games and physical abuse, leading to his own mental breakdown, self-doubt and destruction of confidence. As a film most noted for its combination of beautiful cinematography and original sound design (even if it induces anxiety), Whiplash deserves every credit as one of the most memorable pieces of cinema in history.
Set in a prestigious music school, Shaffer Conservatory, in the heart of New York City, Whiplash follows student Andrew Neilmen in his embarkment to become ‘one of the greats.’ Played perfectly by Miles Teller, an arrogant yet equally insecure character sparks into drive and ambition when introduced to Terrance Fletcher, the infamous conductor of the school’s top jazz studio band. J.K Simmons puts on an equally commendable performance, completely transforming himself into a vile and inhumane individual that audiences are scared to take their eyes off.
Tinted by an orange, warm gradient, Whiplash uses these colours to initially represent jazz, simplicity and calm, themes that are immediately thrown out of the window once Fletcher’s true persona is revealed. Now a sinister atmosphere of aggression and tension every yellow or amber flushed scene becomes an embodiment of Neiman’s anxiety. Only in scenes of blue or green, slightly cooler tones, are the audience and Andrew given a break from the school’s toxic environment and allowed to reflect. Before we are plunged into the stressful life of the studio jazz band, audiences are given an indicator into the power balance between Andrew and Terrance just through the colour of their clothing. A stark black tight top worn by Simmons, shows power, control and dominance which contrasts to Teller’s pale, baggy white t-shirts. Only do these colours begin to change the more involved Neiman becomes with the band.
In a seemingly chaotic, quick tempoed narrative, its hard to believe that this film follows a three-act structure. When broken down to Andrew’s multiple failures and eventual success it becomes easier to understand that each act has a goal, climax and result. Only is this structure disrupted during the 90-second drum solo (that has been proven to be virtually impossible) performed at the end of the film, signalling Neimen has reached his goal.
Although the narrative structure establishes the films framework, Whiplash’s cinematography, lensed by Sharone Meir (whos work can also be seen in 2024’s Monkey Man or 2005’s Coach Carter) continues to enhance this atmosphere of anxiety yet competitiveness too.
Stunning wide shots (seen above) cleverly set up this contrast to the frightening intimacy of the close-up shots of Neimen and Fletcher. The ‘rushing or dragging’ scene is not only a fan favourite but includes one of the most intense encounters between our protagonist and antagonist, creating an overwhelming sense of claustrophobia for Neimen and the audience.
J.K Simmons face completely takes over the screen, blurring Teller out of view mirroring his inferiority in comparison and ability to be pushed (literally), out of the shot. This scene also includes close-ups of the other studio band members to show their unfazed if not mild reaction to their teachers physical abuse. This lack of shock shows a rather subtle acknowledgement that Neimen is not the first student to be met with aggressive means. This is later confirmed when we discover a previous student, under the hands of Fletcher had committed suicide as a result of pressure.
With contrasting shots, comes a contrasting soundtrack. For a film primarily about music, there is a lot of silence. This switch between fast jazz and silence is almost entirely controlled by Fletcher. His stopping and starting of the band during practices keeps audiences intrigued and gripped without revealing the direction a scene will take. This is something a soundtrack would normally indicate but for Whiplash soundtrack is harnessed to maintain the film’s shock and thriller elements; to ensure the audience feels just as suffocated as Neimen by Fletchers violent teaching methods (chairs were chucked at heads.)
Social comment is sometimes very unobvious. This does not apply to Whiplash. If there’s anything this film achieves, it is its ability to function as a message on toxic culture and destructive leadership. Whilst these themes are very much intertwined throughout the film, it is still important to deconstruct them separately. Toxic culture in schools originates from a dysfunctional environment that negatively affects staff and students. In the context of Whiplash, audiences can see that the band members were clearly a culture fit when they entered the school but have since has any sense of initiative or creativity beaten out of them by their narcissistic teacher. Here, the toxic culture has been created by their compliancy and fear to question Fletcher’s goals or methods. In this way, Fletcher and the students are negatively affected when he gets fired and they lose their passion for their talent. The destructive leadership continued for so long because the school allowed this type of violent behaviour, representing an environment where abuse was tacitly accepted.
Overall, Whiplash is electrifying, relentless and pure cinematic adrenaline.
Serving as a reminder that greatness is not born from comfort, audiences should remember that you can’t produce a diamond without pressure.
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