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Whiplash
Under the direction of a ruthless instructor, a talented young drummer begins to pursue perfection at any cost, even his humanity.
2014 · Directed by Damien Chazelle · 107 min · Drama · Music · Thriller · Screenplay in the scene database · 51 frames
Tagline
The road to greatness can take you to the edge.
Plot
Andrew Neiman, a 19-year-old jazz drummer, attends the prestigious Shaffer Conservatory in New York City. Terence Fletcher, the conductor of Shaffer's most prestigious ensemble, overhears Andrew practicing and prompts him to play rudiments and a double-time swing beat. Apparently unimpressed, Fletcher leaves, but later recruits him to perform in his ensemble as a backup for the core drummer, Carl Tanner. On his first day in Fletcher's class, however, Andrew quickly discovers that Fletcher is relentlessly strict and abuses students verbally, physically, and psychologically. When Andrew apparently fails to keep tempo on Hank Levy's "Whiplash" during his first ensemble rehearsal, Fletcher throws a chair at him, repeatedly slaps his face, and berates him. Determined to impress Fletcher, Andrew excessively practices, often until his hands bleed.
After their first set at a jazz competition, Andrew misplaces Tanner's sheet music. Tanner cannot play without the sheets, so Fletcher allows Andrew to perform; Shaffer wins the competition. Fletcher promotes Andrew to core drummer, but abruptly reassigns the position to Ryan Connolly, a drummer from Andrew's previous ensemble within Shaffer. Andrew's single-mindedness toward music leads to him clashing with his family and breaking up with his girlfriend Nicole. One day, Fletcher begins rehearsal by announcing that Sean Casey, a former member of the Studio Band, has died in a car crash. He then pushes the three drummers to play at a faster tempo on "Caravan", keeping them for a grueling five-hour practice. Andrew earns the core position back after he is the only one able to perform on tempo.
Andrew's bus gets a flat tire on his way to the next competition. He rents a car, but arrives late and forgets his drumsticks at the rental office. Andrew races back and retrieves them, but his car is hit by a truck on the way back. An injured Andrew runs to the theater, arriving bloodied and weak as the ensemble enters the stage. He struggles to keep tempo and Fletcher halts the performance to dismiss him. Enraged, Andrew attacks Fletcher onstage and is expelled from Shaffer. At the request of his father Jim, Andrew meets a lawyer representing Casey's parents, who explain that Casey did not die in a car crash, but actually hanged himself after suffering from depression and anxiety due to Fletcher's abuse; his parents want Fletcher held accountable. Andrew agrees to anonymously testify against Fletcher.
Plot summary from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA.
Crew
- Written by: Damien Chazelle
- Cinematography: Sharone Meir
- Edited by: Tom Cross
- Music: Justin Hurwitz
- Production design: Melanie Jones
- Produced by: Jason Blum, Helen Estabrook, David Lancaster, Michel Litvak
Cast
- Miles Teller as Andrew
- J.K. Simmons as Fletcher
- Paul Reiser as Jim
- Melissa Benoist as Nicole
- Austin Stowell as Ryan
- Nate Lang as Carl
- Chris Mulkey as Uncle Frank
- Damon Gupton as Mr. Kramer
- Suanne Spoke as Aunt Emma
- Max Kasch as Dorm Neighbor
Production
- Country: United States of America
- Language: English
- Studios: Bold Films, Blumhouse Productions, Right of Way Films
- Budget: $3,300,000
- Box office: $50,307,484
- Themes: new york city, jazz, musician, obsession, music teacher, conservatory, drums, montage, perfectionist, public humiliation
More by Damien Chazelle
On this film
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