By Olivia Janis
(Warning: Contains Spoilers about the film “Whiplash”]
Recently, my friends and I watched the movie Whiplash, released in 2014 and directed by Damien Chazelle. Whiplash is a psychological drama about a college student trying to pursue being the drummer in a jazz ensemble. The protagonist, Andrew Nieman, played by the actor Miles Teller, goes through drastic changes in order to become the drummer he wants to be. Andrew is motivated by the constant need for approval by his mentor/teacher Terrence Fletcher, played by J.K Simmons.
Andrew starts the movie as a pretty normal college student. He doesn’t have many friends, he has a great relationship with his dad, he is trying to be good enough for the elite jazz ensemble at his school, and he is pining for a girl. When Andrew gets moved to be 2nd string for the Elite jazz conservatory, he thinks all his dreams will come true, until the aggressive and abusive side of Terrance Fletcher is revealed. The very first time Andrew gets the opportunity to play during practice, the minute he messes up Terrance goes crazy. He screams in his face, throws a drum at the wall, slaps him repeatedly, and verbally abuses him. These scenes are so well done, anyone watching the movie can feel the emotion through the screen.
Andrew becomes addicted to wanting to be good enough. He finally goes on a date with the girl he had been crushing on, and less than 2 weeks later he breaks up with her for his music. He becomes obsessed.
The audience watches Andrew use his obsession as a motivator, and we watch him practice till he bleeds. These scenes are very unnerving and make your skin tingle. Andrew finally masters the part and gets to be the performer at one of their first shows. Andrew is running late and eventually arrives, but forgets his sticks in the car. While rushing back he gets hit by a car with significant injuries to his head. He is so blinded by his obsession to be good enough for Terrance that he continues to try to get to the show, and goes to play while he is covered in blood. Terrance Fletcher’s only worries were who would best play their drummer part, so once Andrew messes up on stage, rightly so, considering he is bleeding and injured, Terrance cuts him from the ensemble. Andrew, filled with rage, attacks Terrance.
In the next scene, Andrew is seen taking a break from drumming, and he finally sees how Terrance had been screwing him over. His dad was more than worried for him after he was told that his son’s teacher has a reputation for pushing his students over the edge. Andrew is asked to anonymously submit a statement about his behavior which ultimately gets Terrance Fletcher fired.
While Andrew is taking a break from drumming, he runs into Terrence Fletcher at a restaurant where Terrance was working. They talk to each other, and this is when the audience and Andrew learn the thinking behind Terrance Fletcher. Fletcher believes his teaching skills will make him one of the best musicians ever. By pushing people to their limits, those who continue to play and don’t give up, are the ones he believes can become the best.
“There are no two words in the English language more harmful than “good job”,” Fletcher famously says. He continues to reference Charlie Parker, who was a musician he had trained previously, who made it big until he got into a car crash. He offers Andrew the opportunity to come to play at a new jazz ensemble he is directing, and after careful thought, Andrew agrees.
When Andrew gets on stage to play the piece, Fletcher confronts him and says he knew he was the one who got him fired. In order to embarrass Andrew in front of a crowd of people who could potentially help these artists career’s successfully if they loved their music, Fletcher starts to direct the ensemble, and Andrew realizes he was told the wrong music.
First Andrew is torn apart, but then he exhibits pure confidence, walks back on stage, and starts to direct the ensemble himself by playing a piece he could never get Fletcher’s approval for. This scene is astronomically powerful. Fletcher is moved by his ability to play it and Andrew is going crazy on the drums, at a speed he could never do before. He is incredible and he finally gets the look of approval from Fletcher. Fletcher and Andrew are looking at each other with such passion and craziness, and Andrew’s father sees that he has lost his son.
Personally, this movie changed my thoughts on motivation and passion. My friends and I were at the very edge of our seats during the last scene. Seeing someone so motivated to be good enough truly motivated me and inspired me to invest myself in what I love to do.
However, there is a point in the movie where Andrew asks Fletcher where he draws the line when it comes to pushing a student too far. He defends his mentality that he can never push the right person too far. I am a firm believer in supporting someone, but I think Fletcher crosses the line one too many times. He lacks compassion and understanding and has a bad temper. The minute he yelled at Andrew saying “No wonder his mom left him,” he became a verbal abuser and lost all my respect. Hitting a student is most definitely crossing a line. Fletcher had no understanding when Andrew came late to the concert and then risked his life just to play.
He has unrealistic standards for his “perfect” musician and the actions he takes to make it happen prove how he is unaware of how crazy he is.
Taylor Johnson, one of my friends who watched the movie said, “I was inspired. If you want something that bad you have to make sacrifices, but at the same time if you let it ruin relationships, is it really worth it.”
I chatted with Coach O, who watched Whiplash a couple of years ago.
“The movie definitely exposed some of the negative aspects of coaches and teachers,” Coach O said. He said how he thought the movie was very well done, in terms of the cinematography, but as a teacher and coach it really hit home. Coach O has been one of the football coaches for 5 years.
“No matter what championship was on the line, I would never treat my athletes like that,” he said. “I believe there’s a line and while they do address it in the movie, I completely disagree with Terrance.”
We talked about where the line should be drawn when it comes to motivating students.
“I don’t think you should ever use personal issues as a way to humiliate someone as motivation,” he said.
We both agreed that the scene where Fletcher yelled at Andrew saying, “That’s why your mother left” was beyond unacceptable and regardless of whether it motivated him to be the best musician he could be.
As for the “good job” line, Coach O said he doesn’t think “that is a sane mentality.”
Coach O used an example of one of his favorite basketball players Kobe Bryant, whose mentor, his father, was a passionate kind coach.
Whiplash teaches the dangers of an obsession and the toll that it can take on someone. It is also incredibly entertaining. The cinematography is beautiful and the actors fully embody their roles. I highly recommend this movie, and if you are interested in more psychological dramas about artistic obsession, watch the movie Black Swan.
