Whiplash

First I thought 2014 was a crappy year for movies. Then I decided it was mediocre. By the time I finally decided it was a good year after all, I have to change my opinion again. Now I think it might possibly be the best year since 2007 (the year if Into the Wild, No Country For Old Men, There Will Be Blood, Atonement, among others). And the best of the best this year just might be Whiplash, a raucous, high energy, non stop story of obsession in the music world.

Miles Teller stars as Andrew, a young jazz drummer at a prestigious music school who gets plucked out of obscurity and asked to perform in the mist exclusive club in the school, a competition squad taught by the mecurial, unpredictable Fletcher (J.K. Simmons). His teaching methods are a bit suspect, especially when he throws a chair at the head of his young drumming prodigy and threatens to gouge his eyes out. But do they work? As we see Andrew progress with a single minded obsessiveness of not just becoming great, but one of the greats, you have to argue that Fletcher's madness is actually a positive influence on the cocky young loner, who would rather be remembered forever than have friends.

Whiplash is near perfect. There isn't a shot or a moment that doesn't feel necessary and vital for the story. The high energy, frantic pace makes the time fly while you are watching it. I wanted it to be longer! You would think watching someone play drums (breathe drums, live for drums, BLEED for drums) would get old fast, but it never does.

And then there is J.K. Simmons.  Could that evil and sadistic music teacher really be the sweetheart dad from Juno? It's hard to believe, but it is. His performance is spectacular,  the kind of parts actors probably kill for. I may slightly prefer Ed Norton in Birdman, only because his role is slightly more complex,  but Simmons eventual and inevitable Oscar win will be well deserved. Teller is no slouch either. He definitely manages to shine in the lead role even though his supporting actor is getting all the juicy dialogue. And their chemistry is pretty great too, lots of great back and forth between the two.

And I almost made it through my glowing review failing to mention the last ten minutes, which are legitimately the best ten minutes I have seen in any movie all year. What an incredible end to an incredible must-see, wholly entertaining movie.

Grade: A