WHIPLASH ***
How far can an artist endure physical and emotional suffering in order to prove himself as a gifted musician? How far can a mentor go to prove himself as a specialist who shows people their very own best? “I’m here not to teach you, but to stir up the best out of you, to push you to your own limits and show you can do best!” reveals the music teacher to one of his students. His meticulous method is completely unconventional and aggressive: he insults his students, humiliating them in front of the others, and kicking them out abruptly; his teaching techniques, as well as his punishment procedure, is as harsh and savage as a military camp is, which includes making abusive references to the students’ personal lives and traumas. Damien Chazelle’s dramedy, kicks off in the classroom with an embarrassing situation like this, and that will be the tension line throughout the film focusing on the turbulent relationship between the renowned jazz teacher and his pupils, as they prepare a piece called “Whiplash” for a World competition. Although his methods are sort of disgusting, this aspect becomes relevant to the story, as the important key to resolutions and accomplishments. Chazelle demonstrates incredible efficiency as a storyteller, building his film with so much energy, rapid shots, furious beats, and preciseness in all subjects he analyses based on his young musician: his eager and determination, his broken relationships among family, his incapability of keeping up with a girlfriend, his obsession and aspiration, and the fragility of being alone or ignored. Chazelle also penned the film, which certainly deserves to be mentioned as one this season’s best portraits of young anxiety. Adding up to his brilliant work, the actors deliver infuriating performances, J.K. Simmons is terrifyingly good and scary as the teacher and Miles Teller embodies his troubled jazz drummer, defied by his teacher, his resistance and the disbelief of some, with perfection. He carries the aspects of being young and pursuing his goals with characteristics of a great performer, proving that he’s making the best out of his current status, as one of Hollywood’s most dedicated youngsters.
ALSO SHOWING
Jeremy Renner is fantastic as the journalist who revealed the connection between the FBI and the crack trafficking in Los Angeles, in the chilling thriller “Kill the Messenger” based in real facts. Although “Low Down” set against the 70’s psychedelic atmosphere, brings a fine performance by John Hawkes, as a junkie musician struggling to raise his daughter (played by Elle Fanning) but the film is a dragging experience. Same thing happens with Gregg Araki’s “White Bird in a Blizzard”, where a young girl is trying to make sense of her mother’s sudden disappearance. Araki tries hard to transport the same result of his previous works, centered on young people experiencing transformations, but the formula feels outdated. Brad Pitt commands a group of soldiers hunting Nazis in “Fury”, and although it feels like a sequel to “Inglorious Bastards” it’s a well done production with lots of gore.
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