Whiplash (2014) Full Movie

Whiplash (2014) Full Movie

A promising young drummer enrolls at a cut-throat music conservatory where his dreams of greatness are mentored by an instructor who will stop at nothing to realize a student's potential.



Director: Damien Chazelle
Writer   : Damien Chazelle
Stars      : Miles Teller, J.K. Simmons, Melissa Benoist

Storyline

A young and talented drummer attending a prestigious music academy finds himself under the wing of the most respected professor at the school, one who does not hold back on abuse towards his students. The two form an odd relationship as the student wants to achieve greatness, and the professor pushes him.

Reviews

I work at Berklee College of Music, arguably the best contemporary music college in the country, and I can tell you that it is absolutely the opposite of everything you see in this film. In case there are any prospective students out there that have watched this movie and are wondering how realistic it is, I thought I'd write a review that separates fact from fiction:
Would any college in the country employ a teacher who calls a student "faggot" or throws things at their students? No. They'd be fired faster than you can say "ACLU".
Is becoming a great musician about discipline? No way. Self-discipline and passion for music, sure, but the militaristic methods employed by the teacher in this movie wouldn't fly at any serious music college. I could see this type of behavior (to a milder degree) in a marching band leader or a malcontent high school band leader, maybe, but at a serious college level, teachers are professional musicians. Typically, they're laid back, creative types that want to share and inspire.
Would students put up with a teacher like the one in the movie? Not a chance. Even in an academic setting, band leaders need to earn the respect of their followers. And serious musicians aren't likely to put up with control freaks. Again, maybe marching band... but a serious jazz band? Nah.
Is a music college all about competitions? No. Although students may perform in competitions, many music colleges & conservatories don't officially participate in competitions as an entity.
Is it a sin to be slightly out tune? For an advanced musician... not so much. At a music college, students learn that "in tune" isn't a straight-forward thing (equal temperament vs just intonation, etc.). They learn to trust their ears.
Is it possible to practice drums until you bleed? No. Not unless you're an idiot. Good drummers hold their sticks with a light but firm grip.
Is being a good musician about playing really fast? Good drummers don't practice as hard and as fast as they can all the time. They practice control, which is just as much about playing soft and slow as it is about playing fast.
Did Charlie Parker get the nickname "bird" because someone threw a cymbal at his head? No. There are a lot of stories about how he got his nickname (one has to do with finding a chicken by the side of the road and eating it), but I don't think that's one of them.
I wouldn't have minded the distortion of reality if the movie had anything – anything at all – good to say about music. But it doesn't. It paints music as being about discipline, obsession, ego, and control... and that's just BS.