MOVIE REACTION Drummers react to Whiplash (2014) Reaction/Review 

Hello everyone. I was unsure of the best way to deliver this news. Last week, our awesome Catch-Up Packets cat Angus unexpectedly passed away. It was peaceful in his sleep but we had no idea his time was coming to an end. We always loved seeing the comments about him, and you all could tell from the videos what a friendly and great cat he was. We will surely miss him. We will mention this in a future video but I thought I should say something in writing as well. Rest in peace little buddy.

Fun fact for you: Before getting into acting, JK Simmons actually earned a degree in music conducting & composition.

the ending was such a brutal but beautiful masterpiece. Neiman gained the approval of Fletcher, Fletcher got his prodigy, and the scene where his father looks through the door and realizes he lost his son, Fletcher won

Let's acknowledge how Duke Ellington's "Caravan" still slaps.

I actually have a director that’s like this but without the swearing. Everything else is accurate. The throwing shit, the yelling, the insults, the calm persona at first, nitpicking the most minor of details, everything but the swearing.

it's a movie about the bad guy "winning" without the good guy "losing". In that look at the end, it was told to us that they both succeded: Fletcher created the new great and Andrew became one.

fun fact: the ending where fletcher and andrew look at each other, it’s revealed that he actually told andrew “good job” which are the two words fletcher said are the worst things to ever say.

the first scene with Neiman and Fletcher shows that Fletcher already witnessed Neiman working his ass off in off-hours (what feels like off-hours), so he knows he practices enough. Enough to even know pieces by heart, hence, the folder incident. Fletcher most likely did it himself just to see if Neiman really knew the piece by heart.

The shot of his dad's face from side stage during the final drum solo is the best frame of the film imo

I think the main point of the movie was to explore obsession as such, not so much the sincere love for music or to be a great musician, but the addiction of perfectionism.

“You can’t get the best out of the best by being abusive” works in the military 👀

Creating music may be motivated by love. But performing well is a discipline.

Miles Teller was in fact a drummer before the movie, but practiced religiously for this movie and does actually play around 90% of everything you see in the film. Jazz drumming is not for the simple drummer so that is just an impressive feat on it's own.

From IMDb: 'Miles Teller has been drumming since he was 15 years old, he took additional lessons 4 hours a day, 3 days a week to prepare for the movie'

If that teacher talked to me like that. I'm sorry but we got to fight. LOL 🤣

It was a treat watching this. You guys seem soft-spoken, wise, and very pleasant. It felt like watching a movie I love with a couple of friends

That break up scene was brutal. And I can understand where he was coming from, *to an extent* . I can completely understand being so passionate about something that I'd want to give it 100% of my attention and concentration to it. Which will leave no room for giving attention to a partner, whom, I have no doubt that after some time they will in fact want and need the attention. And that will lead to arguments and feeling neglected. And as a creative person like myself who does put so much of my time and energy and attention and passion and concentration into what I'm doing, it's not bad and not wrong. But what did make him an asshole was his approach in the way he told her. What was said was not the bad thing because there's nothing with saying "Look, this is all I'm gonna have time and energy for. Being in a relationship isn't something I'm not gonna be able to give any attention to, and because i care about you I would much rather spare you from feeling neglected in the future." Telling the other person that basically they're not gonna be important enough to spend time with and eventually they're gonna end up keeping you from doing what you're passionate about does make you uncaring and very much an asshole.

It's kind of a Gordon Ramsey style. If you watch his early series, people were quitting every shift.

There's a line between a teacher motivating students by bullying, vs imposing discipline without the bullying. I think that musicians want to play better and constantly improve, that's more motivated by love for the music than by some screaming, cursing, chair throwing maniac.

Fletcher DID take the folder- it was revealed years later

Miles had previously drummed before the movie but practiced like a mad man for the movie 🫠

Miles Teller actually did have a background in rock drumming from his high school days, and most of the drumming in the movie is his. He did have to learn the jazz style for the movie though.

As a drummer, I think the bleeding part wasn't realistic, you don't bleed like that no matter how hard you practice, unless your technique sucks. Tenosynovitis yeah, bleeding no. But they wanted to drive the point home visually for the non-musicians I guess

I just found you guys and have been binging on your The Expanse reactions. I've loved watching Angus come to each of you for attention and skritches. He was such a sweet kitty. I'm glad he went peacefully. I'm sorry for your loss. This was a great reaction. I've seen this film once before and loved it. It was cool listening to the two of you, as musicians, react to what was happening on screen. Really a well-done film.

What a couple of very nice young men, your empathy is felt through the video. I have been a drummer since 1982 and was in the local school bands where I grew up, and can recall folks who were k i n d a like Fletcher, but waaay toned down, never violent or anything (I am from an era when hazing was anticipated and encouraged). Your reactions to his rants/abuse/psychotic episodes are so touching and admirable when letting us know that crap is not cool, but he did it to extract the gems from the cobbles. I enjoyed this video and will watch others soon Subscribed!

The rooting out the Charlie Parker’s or whatever through seeing who could mentally take it is literally exactly what our military does and it works lmao

There will always be a drummer named Nate. -Nate the drummer named Nate

I missed this movie when it came out, but after it won a number of awards and being a fan of JK Simmons, I checked it out and found it really entertaining. Well crafted and exceptionally acted an performed. Melissa Benoist (Supergirl!) is nice part in this movie.

Hey great commentary! Loved how quickly you both picked up on the more subtle dynamics between Fletcher and Andrew, and themes that took me much longer to figure out myself. Didn’t realize how tragic of an ending it is when you really think about it until years after my first watch, it just hit me that this guy has isolated himself from the only people who really cared about him to seek the approval of a fucking psychotic man. Heavy stuff!

So Miles T was already an avid drummer before getting the part, but he and the director took the Music for this Movie VERY seriously. Every last bit is played for real.

what a film! a true masterpiece! :D great reaction as always, and loved the discussion post-film.

One of the best endings to a movie I ever seen

The ending in my eyes has a double meaning. Neiman teaching Fletcher (his abuser) that he is his own performer now. While simultaneously showing that Fletcher still figuratively gets what he wanted because Neiman technically succeeded through his abusive methods. Though I think an overlooked detail is that Neiman only got the confidence to take control of the situation after his father hugged him, which tells me that Fletcher's approval wasn't Neiman's primary goal anymore, but to be recognized by everyone watching, including his father. Fletcher's smile was just the cherry on top.

JK is such an unbelievable actor and as others have already said, the beauty of the movie is the bittersweetness of the ending. Everyone got what they wanted in the most toxic possible way and it's beautifully sad

Great reaction from couple of drummers. IMO, the dude got to finally earn Fletcher's approval. Not the best message for life, but I'm sure Fletcher sees it as ends justifies the means. I love watching the end with the sabotage and comeback and throwing Fletcher off. Epic. I also went into the arts for my education and career and it wasn't until the family accountant said I was doing okay, did my parents think I would succeed at it. Parents just don't understand. :p

Great reaction, makes a difference coming from musicians & I couldn't agree more, great music comes from love and music's ability to make you feel completely alive in the moment.....

The inspiration Charly Antolini: "CARAVAN" - The Legendary Drum Solo

the cat in the video was the cherry on top, great video :)

I knew Fletcher was a terrible and abusive person, but the last scene showed he was just pure evil. He was willing to get back at Neiman to the point where he would've not only ruined Neiman's career but every band member as well. I understand things worked out for both of them, but it don't change the fact that Fletcher is a real fucked up individual

I had a choir director who was like this except for the physical assault. She would yell, scream, prey upon insecurities and knowledge of trauma to exacerbate the performance she wanted out of us.

I like your POV as a drummer, so objective.. comparing your drum learning process. so we know what really happened in that process.. good job mate

Glad I finally watched your reaction! This is one of my all time favorite movies and I was avoiding your reaction cause I saw a couple other “Drummer Reacts to Whiplash!” videos, which may as well have been titled “Watch Someone Completely Miss the Point of Whiplash!” But you guys totally got it 🙂 Great reaction

Adversity helps you to be unshaken. When I was drumming, I was my own worst critic. The compliments I received were dismissed bc, what do they know? But I knew. Being the best is simply knowing you are. A place passed confidence and talent. Being able to access “the zone” at will. Never being discouraged. Few ppl experience “the zone”. The perfection, the absolute control of a moment. Where there’s no thought, you just exist.

Ty for this reaction because I watched it and liked it and everything but felt like I didn't even get the point glad I heard your commentary:)

The actor who played Nieman already was an experienced drummer. He wasn’t a jazz drummer, but he knew his way around a kit. Simmons also had a background in composition and was a conductor. Neither of these facts were known to the filmmakers when they got the parts.

I was playing skyrim while watching you guys for the first time so that map in the back was a welcoming touch haha fellow Dovah

A really thoughtful and insightful reaction. This film is really a gut punch and takes no prisoners. To me the ending is really left ambiguous as it should be. Yes, Neiman and Fletcher share knowing smiles which might seem to show they have arrived at some synergy and acceptance. But who knows what happens next? Is all that mayhem that happened swept under the rug, compartmentalized by each of them. Do they become best buds? Probably not likely. Wouldn't the cycle of codependency just continue. Fletcher is who he is, and Neiman is still going to be an obsessive, approval seeking maniac. Each of them will probably keep causing emotional damage to others.

Love watching milinneals completely whiff on understanding this movie

RELATIONSHIPS ARE DETRIMENTAL TO SUCCESS, I think if you want to be majorly successful, you have to not be in love.

To me, the "lesson" of the movie, is to freaking push back against abusive teachers. I remember that in the scene "that's not my tempo!" he was actually following perfect tempo, just that Fletcher wanted him to say "No, I know I'm playing perfect tempo, you're wrong teacher" Because he never stood up to him, the teaching style of Fletcher was highly counter productive. It was only when at the very end of the movie, that he went against the teacher, and the teacher started *guiding* him instead of insultng him, that he finally got the approval from Fletcher. Highly confrontive, disagreeable and intense people always hurt people that aren't as intense as them. The "real world" lesson, is to not use fierce and power methods on quiet and "pushover" people. It will NOT actually help with the teaching, unless your objective is to stop him from being a pushover through force, in which case you are taking a huge suicide, trauma, dropout and deppression risk on the student. The teacher is there to teach him, not kill him, so he would have to first make sure the student can take it

I really loved your commentary!!!

I love that they end on the climax as well, because its very bittersweet. Neiman gets to prove himself, he gets approval from someone he respected, and he shows people in the industry he is an amazing drummer, but sadly Fletcher wins as well, someone who doesn't deserve a win.

Another extremely intriguing take to denote on top of the countless other devices and meanings: during the final scene when Andrew’s father is looking in awe through the theater doors, pay attention to the performer’s phenomenal facial expression- is he astonished at simply how good Andrew truly is at his craft, or is he in complete disarray realizing that Fletcher “won,” and that Andrew technically fell back into his arms, regardless of both the pros and cons of leaders like Fletcher.

Hey, look! 7:10 The theme of the movie within seconds. Glorious!

This is one of the best movies of music that i saw in my life

Omg❤❤ His purrs and meows for attention. My heart is melted. Im so sorry for your loss. Rest easy Angus🙏🙏

this is how you get the best of the best. In any real sport, or thing in life you want to learn and be the best in music is no different. You have to be pushed and pushed hard.

22:00 dude. Many many of the greats of many instruments spilled plenty of blood getting amazing.

I like how once Neiman is told the girl has a boyfriend he realises that he did that to himself and there’s no other way but going forward to be the greatest drummer (like he said when breaking up with her). But it is sad since himself and fletcher have molded Andrew into a soulless, machine.

I love this movie and you reactions and comments about the movie are enjoying

Dude on the left of me - love you as the lead role in the Good Doctor. Keep up the good job.

Thank you for the insightful thoughtful discussion back and forth! I was concerned that the commentary would be focused on what the movie got wrong about jazz drumming, that asking drummers to react to Whiplash would be like asking architects to react to The Fountainhead. Glad to see that you did not miss the point: that it's not about drumming per se, but about what it takes to reach a pinnacle. I'm not a huge fan of the screaming myself (let alone the deeply personal insults), since that only tends to exacerbate performance anxiety. It was about halfway through my first viewing of the film that I realized that Fletcher's tactics are exactly like those of a drill instructor for the military. Just like in the military, perfection in the performance of one's art is a matter of life and death to those who have chosen to enroll under Fletcher's command. It's obviously not literal life and death in this case, so we accept drill sergeants breaking down recruits to build them back into warriors. Most people would never dream of viewing jazz performance through that same lens, but for Andrew, to whom the achievement of immortality through the cultivation and performance of elite skill in his chosen art is more important than life itself, such drill tactics are exactly what the doctor ordered. Fletcher doesn't want students; he wants warriors.

The overarching feeling I had after finishing and rewatching the movie was that this an allegory for the origin story for Fletcher. We wonder, what made him that way? That willingness to accept the toxic and hard knock cycle of an abusive and brutal, trial by fire approach to nurturing excellence. Rolled into the mythology of the greats and the idea that success justifies the means whatever the cost. Neiman rejects all other relationships, tenderness, love, and his only real connection is with his dad. I can’t imagine anyone tolerating Fletcher and he’s a solitary figure too. He’s sacrificed his own soul and humanity, which is what music should be about, in pursuit of an illusory obsession. Fletcher has no morality now. He’s what Neiman is destined to become. You see his first steps in this movie to give himself over to this goal. You can chart his future and shape into that of Fletcher’s. He’s alone, but brilliant, demanding perfection, and he’s even lost sight of what that means anymore, in life, or in music. It’s all about the struggle. Because that’s what defines the cycle of abuse. A never ending narrative of always being disappointed, expecting more than anyone should give, and being bitter about it because you’re unable to see another perspective. Because to do so, would mean that all that suffering, was for nothing.

29:51 ooooh just you wait till the end! (well you've seen it now, haha). Love how it can be interpreted differently.

Grettings duds! So cool that you both are drummers. What kind of music do you play/played? Still playing? Anything we could hear?

What I get from the ending of this movie is that Fletcher was a terrible person and Andrew knew that. Andrew wasn't going to let Fletcher ruin him and his career, and he unfortunately deep down knows that the reason he is so great is because Fletcher was so diabolical. He has become Stockholmed into accepting that he must overcome that horrendous pressure in order to get anything out of it. Otherwise, his emotions might ruin his drive and passion for it.

love how you guys don't pause every 3seconds to say uselessshtttt. good video !

Director said of the movie that, if you were to continue following Andrew's story, it would probably be a very sad story

I had a coach like fletcher in my sport and it was one of the best coaches I had

this is my first time watching you guys , Great ass reaction!!, i wanted to say a few things { which might be long , bear with me } on down the line of your analysis of the movie at the end which is a good analysis but There appears to be a common misconception surrounding this film, as many grasp the essence of Fletcher's character on the face value. His approach to teaching is centered around pushing individuals beyond their perceived limits, employing harsh and belittling methods until they prove themselves capable of greatness. In doing so, he believes that he not only brings out their utmost potential as musicians and drummers, but also that he separates the truly exceptional from the merely competent or the just good ones, he demands that one prove their worthiness of being the best, It's a tough love approach aimed at separating the truly exceptional from the average ( also that approach being heavily packaged with abuse and manipulation) . Fletcher isn't interested in those who settle for being just "good" or comfortable, This is evident in the final scene, where he tests Andrew by presenting him with a piece of music he's never heard before, without any sheet music to guide him. It's a make-or-break moment, where Andrew must decide whether to crumble under the pressure or rise to the occasion. Yet, despite the seemingly insurmountable odds, Andrew rises to the occasion. He taps into a well of untapped potential, showcasing an extraordinary level of adaptability and improvisation. While some may view this as a triumph of the human spirit, others may question the validity of a teaching method that relies on subjecting students to relentless pressure and emotional manipulation. Ultimately, the film forces us to confront our own values and aspirations. Are we willing to sacrifice our mental well-being and self-esteem in pursuit of greatness? Is it acceptable to subject ourselves to harsh treatment in the hopes of reaching our fullest potential? The story raises important ethical questions about the boundaries of teaching and the psychological toll it can exact on individuals striving for excellence. ...................sorry if that was long but that was my analysis!.

So miles had been playing the drums for years prior to the movie but he did need to learn that jazz style of music for the movie

This channel needs more subs. Wtf

The greatest human achievements are born in either the greatest adversity or greatest love/freedom.

I do agree Fletcher about the "good job" part though. The rewarding and good-job-ing has been done to a point where everyone for whatever crappy performance gets a 'medal'

I only noticed it on this watch, and after you pointed out he kept mispronouncing his name. When Fletcher tells Neiman he's done, he pronounced his name correctly.

miles teller has been playing the drums since he was 15

Which one is Ebert and the other, must be Siskel. Absolutely harsh, extreme and striving for excellence. Brilliant!

loved this reaction

I couldn't get over the Breaking Bad fan art and Skyrim map propped on the top of the couch what the hell

great reaction vid sirs

J.k simmon is like Gordon Ramsay in music. 😂😂😂😂😂

Can we at least all agree that Fletcher tells Andrew "good job" at the very end of the movie? I looks like he says something to him, but the shot is framed so close that you can't even see Fletcher's mouth and then Andrew smiles and plays that last 5 seconds and the movie ends. I can't think of anything else it could be but I guess they wanted to leave it at least a little ambiguous. It weird because Fletcher says that is the worst thing you can say to somebody, but I guess in his eyes, Andrew doesn't require that tough love anymore, he's made it.

Miles Teller is actually a former drummer, so he didn't have to start from scratch.

He did learn to play drums for the role, he didn’t learn to play the more complex stuff you see though. That unfortunately takes years to produce.

I love the Johnny Utah reference. If you guys haven't seen Point Break (1991). Please react to it. I promise it will be well worth your time.

I think militancy might be good when drilling/learning. They're not writing music, just attempting to play pieces to perfection.

miles teller is a self taught drummer

this is the first video I've seen of "drummers react to whiplash" that wasn't so unbelievably pretentious. Im gonna go out on a whim and say most musicians dont know much about movies, but it's obvious you guys do. This is not a movie about drumming, sure it drives the plot, but it's really about an abusive relationship. Most drummers dont realize that and just nitpick the hell out of it saying "uhhhh thats not accurate at all, this movie sucks."

Great reaction to a great film!

Is it possible to play the final solo, or that has to be edited?

Again,not personally,but your reaction shows why so many people cannot be the best of the best and tell themselves "Chill,I do it for fun,blah blah blah"

Awesome videoooo

Raging Bull was an inspiration to this movie. It’s not supposed to be reality

Zildjian Cymbals were originally made in Istanbul.

How long have you guys been drummers for? No way yall haven't heard of Istanbul cymbals?? Modern jazz drums with Istanbul cymbals are as common as Sonor drums.

Simons goes mad after one of his past students pass away

The ending of this movie truly motivated me. When he was at his absolute end. When there was nothing else he gave it everything he had. They look in the teacher's face was a look like I thought I defeated you. And he proved him wrong.

Actually the director an writter of the movie has said that the ending of whiplash is NOT a positive ending, cause neiman succums to fletcher´s desires and he has said that he imagines neiman in the future commiting suicide do to drugs and adictions

fascinating, thanks for sharing

Them: Music is motivated by love *Joe Jackson has entered the chat*