Whiplash - 4K + Blu-ray + Digital

I find it extremely cathartic to watch villains that I’ve met in life. Movies usually have the cliche mentor that is tough for the protagonists own good. This mentor of sorts only cares about perfection not the person at all. We had a good discussion as a family if the mentor actual helped or hurt ? Would the protagonist have prospered without the mentor? Without PTSD? Or did the villain mentor push him to be great ? I tend to think the protagonist would have been great without the mentor and maybe even better but not everyone agreed with my assessment. Great discussion movie that I wouldn’t have ever thought I’d like. I’m glad my son had me watch it . Best movie I’ve seen in a long time. The acting was so good!

THE FILM: My head is still spinning from the whirlwind of what I just experienced. WHIPLASH isn't just a film. It has to be seen to be believed. The plot, although it probably won't do it justice, is about a young drummer (Miles Teller) who is accepted into a conservatory jazz band led by Fletcher (J.K. Simmons). Miles Teller's character wants to be one of the greats, and Fletcher uses what some would consider questionable methods to push him in that direction. That's really all you need to know going in. I should say that this is the absolute best I've seen out of Miles Teller, having graduated from teen fare like THE SPECTACULAR NOW. And J.K. Simmons? Wow! He brought such an intensity to his role that I wasn't prepared for. He's probably the best antagonist I've seen since R. Lee Ermey in FULL METAL JACKET, and pretty much as creative. However, it's not just the performances that make this such a compelling watch. This film has some of the best editing I've ever seen, and it fit so well with the jazz score. The various production elements were tightly woven and integrated in a way that pulls you into the story and never lets you go until the final frame. Unlike, say BIRDMAN, this completely lived up to the hype in my opinion. As a character study on what it takes to succeed, WHIPLASH is second to none. This feels like something that will be studied in years to come, and it's definitely worth your time. THE EXTRAS: I have to admit, I was quite pleased with the special features they included in this Blu-ray release. There's a solid hour of additional material that deepened and enriched the experience. The largest of these is a 43-minute documentary, "Timekeepers," which has interviews with several real-life drummers (including director/writer Damian Chazelle) talking about their lives, experiences, teachers and wisdom they have to offer. I'm not a drummer (rather, a pianist), but advice they gave could well apply to any creative art. They also included the 18-minute short upon which the film is based and, to my surprise, J.K. Simmons played Fletcher in this as well. The short film is basically the first rehearsal scene with Fletcher's band and it played very much how it ended up in the full-length feature. Differences I noticed were the actor playing Andrew, the set, and a line or two that were in the full-length film but not in the short. I suppose the biggest difference was the slightly more restrained way that Simmons played Fletcher. This was perhaps my favorite out of all of the special features, and it also has an optional commentary track. Rounding out the supplements are a deleted scene (also with optional commentary) and 8 minutes of Q&A from TIFF. Finally, there is a commentary track for the film itself. Altogether, an impressive set of special features for an equally impressive film. OVERALL: The more I think about it, there are two words that accurately describe WHIPLASH: perversely inspirational. Motivation and drive are very important in any creative endeavor, as this film aptly shows. Sure, the drama and reality is somewhat heightened, but that's a basic necessity of cinema. Regardless of what field one is in, we've all had our own "Fletcher" at one point or another. And for me, what makes this film so great apart from its impeccable technical qualities is the dynamic between Andrew and Fletcher, one as compelling as it is fully realized. Even in the final scene, which I won't spoil, it was riveting to watch how that dynamic changed as they played off one another. I suppose I could go on for a while longer, but suffice it to say that WHIPLASH is one of the best modern films you will ever see. It's a shame that I was unable to see it last year, as it certainly would have made my top five. As for the collectors out there, I would consider this Blu-ray release essential. Not only do you get the best picture and sound (and the sound is particularly important with this one), but you also get the short film that inspired it. WHIPLASH delivers the intense experience it promises, and I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone willing to give it a try.

*contains a mini-spoiler* As a die-hard movie goer, this film was a rare treat that comes along once in a great while. I'm a hard core Sci-Fi fan, but I can appreciate a first rate movie from any genre. This one just happened to come from the only thing I love more than movies, music. This movie flew completely under my radar. Hadn't seen a preview, or read anything about it. I checked what was playing that day, crossed off the 5 playing I had already seen, crossed off the 7 playing I wanted no part of, I read the brief synopsis of Whiplash and saw J.K. Simmons was in it and that was enough for me. Basically as a movie goer these days, I just want to see something different and the bottom line for me is, I gotta get lost in it and be truly entertained. And Damnit, I was! At the scene of the car crash, I got up and walked the heck out. I knew there was no way I was gonna keep this much joy to myself! I walked out to my car, called my wife at work, I said "hey, this movie is INCREDIBLE". I said you have got to come see this thing! I can honestly say, thousands of movies, this has never happened to me personally. So later that night my wife and I saw this thing, went home, ordered the soundtrack, and pre-ordered the Blu-ray. Today we received the Bluray. I watched the movie twice today, one without, and once with commentary. Plus watched all the special features. It'll be a while before another movie impresses me the way this one has done. Was not that impressed with Miles in the few movies I had previously seen him in. Gotta say, he was right for this role and certainly earned my respect. J.K. Simmons, always great. Was very surprised to read some negative comments from some of the reviewers here at Amazon. Everyone is certainly entitled to their own opinion, but I was so blown away I guess I just assumed most people would feel the same. I was entertained in every sense of the word by this film and I don't regret a penny I spent on it. I wish Miles could have been part of the commentary and I wish they would have included a piece on his training as part of the special features. Aside from those minor gripes the blu-ray release is all thumbs up from me. Great picture, superb DTS-HD MA 5.1 track, a 45 minute feature that was fairly interesting with interview segments from a bunch of professional drummers, the original film short, and a couple other little tidbits. Again, was really hoping for a glimpse into Miles' training for the film, but nothing's perfect. It's a must-own for fans of great drama and music.

I first heard about Whiplash just a few months ago, and since I am a music guy and a movie fanatic, I can't help but wonder how this movie about music flew under my radar for half a decade. As other reviewers have stated, it's not easy to watch and certainly not for everyone. It's quite intense most of the way through, and is very disturbing in parts, but it is a well made, well paced movie with excellent performances from the two lead actors. Miles Teller plays a dedicated drummer in a college jazz band trying competitively to maintain his position in the band while his instructor, played by J. K. Simmons obsessively and sadistically pushes him to be "the next Charlie Parker". Simmons has all the charm of R. Lee Ermey in Full Metal Jacket as he verbally abuses his students, focusing his hostility on Teller more and more. Teller starts out as a shy, soft spoken fellow who slowly gains the confidence he needs to stand up to his bully of an instructor. The movie raises a number of questions such as, where do you draw the line when trying to achieve your fullest potential in a particular talent? Is it worth subjecting yourself to being bullied and insulted, while making major sacrifices in your personal and social life? It's a good movie to watch with people who might be open to discussing these things afterward. I can't think of any detail in Whiplash that could have been done better. It accomplishes what it set out to do, and (not giving away any spoilers) the final showdown does not disappoint. And jazz is not my main music genre, but I find the music throughout this movie to be quite enjoyable.

This movie forced me to revise my list of the top 10 movies released in 2014 -- No contest -- Whiplash takes the number one slot. JK Simmons absolutely deserved the best-supporting actor Oscar for this performance. The script does its part to elicit conflicting emotions from from the audience, but most of the credit goes to JK Simmons' embodiment of Terence Fletcher as a seemingly sadistic, frequently profane instructor who believes the ONLY way to nurture greatness is by upbraiding and browbeating the most talented young musicians he can find. More than three quarters of Simmons' on-screen time is spent convincing the audience that he's a borderline sociopath, and yet, there are several brief moments where he succeeds in prompting us to question our own judgment. But Simmons isn't the only supporting actor in this movie. The music deserves equal billing. Each and every piece evokes moods and emotions that enrich the experience as much as any actor could ever hope to do. I thoroughly enjoyed movies like "The Commitments" (1991), "Once" (2007) and "Inside Llewyn Davis" (2013), all of which combined story and music. But, if we were to say those movies "wove" music with the script and the performances, then "Whiplash" must be described as "homogenizing" music, script and performances into one intoxicating substance. The music is essential to each of the movies mentioned, but in "Whiplash" the story is indelibly stained with song -- Impossible to remove without destroying the whole thing -- The only movie that comes close to making music this essential is Paul Thomas Anderson's "Magnolia" (1999), and, I hate to say it, but I think the Whiplash soundtrack-movie combo is superior to that movie too. Also praiseworthy is Miles Teller's leading performance as the pliable student musician, Andrew. The only reason Teller didn't receive best-actor nominations for this movie is because subdued roles such as this never result in nominations. Teller portrays his character as a fragile vessel filled with explosive materials. The audience scoots to the edge of their seats each time he's thrown to the ground, kicked down the stairs, or run over by a truck -- Each time we think the same thing -- "This is it" -- "He's gonna blow" -- "How bad's it gonna be?" -- Again, the script gets the credit for convincing viewers that they know this kid well enough to predict his reactions, but it's Teller who sells us on alternatives. We expect the character to zig, but then he gives us cause to reconsider the possibility that he might zag instead. What a great movie. See it.

Nearly a masterpiece, but with some irritating flaws. Enough has already been said about the performances, which are uniformly excellent from the entire cast. Everyone already knows by now that this film is about a loud, vulgar, hard-driving ultra-intense music-college instructor and his relationship with a young drum student. The young man in question already plays great, but Instructor Fletcher wants more - a lot more out of him. He literally wants this student (and the others for that matter) to BLEED from practice and determination. I get that part, and there is nothing wrong with teachers, coaches, film director's, (etc) driving their underlings hard; encouraging and inspiring them to do better and more than they ever thought they could. Can an instructor become so passionate and intense at times, that their efforts to 'encourage' become abusive? As depicted in "Whiplash," the answer is unequivocally YES! Simmons character goes way beyond intense. He is verbally and sometimes even physically abusive to his students; to the point that it often brings them to tears, and if they do cry or even shed a tear, look out for the rage from Professor Fletcher that will follow. This was a problem for me. I felt like I was watching "Full Metal Jacket" instead of a film about a passionate music professor. R. Lee Irmey's characterization of the drill-instructor at Parris Island was right on target, and it seemed perfectly natural. However, Simmons character is so over-the-top with volumes of never ending jaw-dropping profanity and insults, that rather than be offended or shocked, I was simply bored and irritated. To me this is a problem with the script and not so much the actor. At some point the rough language and put-downs became unnecessary and unwelcome, and for me at least, it started to drag an otherwise superior film down. Another issue for me was a lack of character definition. We don't really know much about anyone on the screen, and perhaps that was intentional or perhaps not, and in the very few instances "Whiplash" does try to bring some character-definition into play, it seems overly convenient for the movie, and given everything else we're witnessing, it doesn't work. There is one scene where Fletcher embraces a former student as if they are old friends, and maybe they are, but this sudden gush of 'warm n' fuzziness' feels out of place here. One final issue, and its a biggie, is that there is not a likeable character anywhere to be found in this movie. The instructor is a jerk, the nineteen year old drummer, while undeniably talented, is arrogant and immature and the rest of the class are all so worried about their own fate in the band, that they treat 'each other' like dirt. Maybe this is all supposed to be, but if you're going to make a movie about mentoring and inspiring others to exceed their abilities, it would be nice to like 'someone' on the screen. The other problem with "Whiplash" is that it begs us to accept a lot of silly circumstances and story-developments, that quite frankly are just unbelievable. I won't give it away, but you'll know exactly when the movie starts to fall apart in credibility. Thank God the film rebounds with an electrifying final act. Ok, so if I have all these issues, why the 4-Star rating? The fact is, I can't argue with the brilliant performances and music, the editing and a twisting final half-hour that left me exhausted and very happy. But once I regained my composure, I quickly remembered the problems I had with the film. Had more care been given to the character and story development, and toning down at least half of the language and verbal abuse, I think "Whiplash" would be one of the best films I've ever seen, and a film that deserves and needs to be seen ... instead of the somewhat overrated and sadly misguided near masterpiece that it could have been. As for the Blu-Ray - it's wonderful. The documentary "Time Keepers" is really entertaining and quite a bonus, but the look and sound of the movie on the Blu-Ray is reference-quality.

Wow. What a performance! Quick story recap; Young student drummer wants to be great at something, finds himself at the best musical school in the country with the teacher from beyond hell who is more than willing to take his students there. Acting was stellar. J.K. Simmons as the teacher Fletcher, was so damn good, gripping the seat every time he came on screen good because he made even me feel like I had to watch what I was doing. Miles Teller was equally good and believable as the young striving student. The sorcerer/apprentice chemistry between them drove the movie and they did not disappoint. I really enjoyed this film. It has a grittiness to it, taking you through the students pain mentally and physically. It's an extremely simple storyline but it works because of the dynamics of character and the fundamental question of how far are you willing to go? There were a few surprises but still pretty basic story, I still enjoyed it. There were funny insults like the Full Metal Jacket drill instructor. That hallowing "good job" remark from Fletcher still rings in my ears. It's a pretty well crafted movie and the only criticism i have is the one moment the movie made me realize it was just a movie, the car crash scene and walking away wasn't realistic but the movie hooked me back in soon thereafter. Overall all though, it was good, It truly made me feel and that is what a good movie and good actors do.

I read some reviews saying it was too mean to watch. Thats reality, its a sharp film & it captures the intensity well. The film was really honest of how people really are in all the characters. The other students would rather sit in silence & have someone else take all the crap than have it happen to them. Being in an environment where your peers are also your competition creates a deeper level of lonelyness. Several songs repeat throughout the film over & over & this is the only film with repeats (this one is song rather than scenes like sorce code) in which its perfect. The realness & chemistry of the all the characters was not over looked. The 2 main characters Milles Teller & J.K. Simmons are at their best in this film & their chemistry is off the charts! I recognized them & googled them, but couldn't remember where from. Forget what you've seen them in, it's mild compared to this. I'm not just talking about the drama in Whiplash, I'm talking about an intensity that you can feel come out of your screen, a matched talent & for intense drama. In the film both characters act ho hum calm & raging intense perfectly naturally. The story, writing, acting, filming, chemistry amongst characters & energy of the film was all top notch. A quality piece of art. Thank you to the film makers for working so hard & leaving no detail over looked. Although I know there's more to a film than acting, thank you for casting actors who are great. Most often actors are cast because they're famous/well known, but that wasn't the case in this film.