WHIPLASH (2014) | FIRST TIME WATCHING | Movie Reaction 

Hello hello! This is one of those movies that had me thinking about it for days after. There's a lot I wish we could have discussed in the outro, but alas, my brain hadn't made the connections yet. Rather than write a whole research paper, I'll just say that I've decided the ending is a lot darker than I initially realized. Originally I was happy for Andrew's "triumph," but now it just feels sad-he's going down the path that Fletcher wants, which is sure to be lonely and painful. Maybe he'll become one of the greats, but it will come at a great cost, which I think we can see in his father's face at the end. Anyway, I really liked this movie and I hope you guys did too. See you soon! - Sarah

I don't know why "single-tear people" is the perfect insult, but it is.

BTW, at the final performance, the band was originally just playing the first half/shortcut of "Caravan". And that's why you see the lights dim, the rest of the band stop, and Fletcher says "What are you doing man??", but Andrew keeps going. He plays the extended cut of Caravan because he wanted to show the crazy drum solo that followed. Also, another interesting thing to note: The face that his father also makes when he finally sees his son perform the solo is more horror/shock than proud-ness. He realizes that the dinner table conversation about jazz musicians being depressed and addicted to drugs and dying at a young age; that's probably what awaits Andrew.

On Fletcher's 'sadness' at Sean Casey's death: Fletcher _might_ have been sad about Sean Casey's death as a person, but I think he was just sad about his 'investment' into Sean's career and skills as a relatively successful musician. I think it was probably a very selfish kind of caring. But we'll never know. It's impossible to tell if Fletcher was EVER totally honest to Andrew Neiman, since Fletcher always saw Neiman as a project to work on. The film is a great conversation starter on the 'utility' of abuse and doesn't spoon-feed an answer to the audience, I think. It asks you what you think by showing you an extreme example of abusive drive/obsession in action.

Really guys? I've just finished watching Whiplash myself, opening youtube and the first vid I see, is yours. Incredible.

The ending is so good at making you question whether the emotional abuse and manipulation of an overly demanding instructor *is* justified, and when you realize you're even *considering* if something so obviously harmful is "maybe okay sometimes", you feel *awful*.

If you look closely the folder that goes missing is actually in the final performance, meaning Fletcher took the folder like you guys said. Also if you time when nemin is counting it’s perfect timing

I often wonder if fletcher was also in search of someone to join him in his complete obsessive existence. He saw that in Andrew.

JK Simmons tool home the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the movie. Also RIP, Tina Turner, 1939-2023.

Fletcher was really twisted. He may have believed his methods were right, but all those horrible personal insults and physical abuse had no place in any sane motivational mentoring. To produce one diamond like Andrew, but demolish others in the name of that is just wrong. Andrew might very well have been destroyed too. We see that Fletcher's way caused a suicide, who knows how many others felt abused also. You can push students hard, but fairly. It doesn't have to be a blood sport.

17:14 "you're drumming." 😆

10:07 "I hope it's well." 😬

The best teachers do put demands on their students, and pull them out of their comfort zone so they can grow to the next level. I think when we all think back and we look at who our best teachers have been, it has to be the more strict and passionate ones, the teachers who run a tight ship and care about setting standards. Fletcher does care about his students, and getting the best out of them. But he went too far, his ambition turned to abuse. And abuse is never sustainable.

3:45 "...and his bald head." 🙂

The girl's reactions are so on tempo with my own. LOL! Fletcher was something else.

I was a drummer in a conservatory which trained pro musicians. It's not like this. Competitive yes, extremely hard working yes, abusive teachers no. He would lose his job in a day. The pressure comes from within the students, because everyone knows that only about 20% can make a living out of it. The drive comes from within. Nothing creative comes from atmosphere of fear, musicians are way more cooperative and not such dicks to each other, because circles are small, and you can't form bands alone, even if you're the best player. The competition is in better spirit, but maybe even harder than in this movie... you have to be absolutely crazy to become a pro session or jazz drummer. They work harder than surgeons

I've had a weird career path - first TA in a Lit class and now a copywriter - but I've seen firsthand that Fletcher's advice is sort of poorly-expressed. You don't want to coddle students in any discipline, but you also don't want to *abuse* them. There's always the risk of extinguishing that fire, and I've definitely seen teachers push too far with kids they'd singled out for a Master's thesis workshop. I've seen some people mention they'd even seen a therapist over their thesis or their Doctorate. All you really need to do is push them *positively*, and that's something a lot of really passionate educators tend to unfortunately forget. You care so much about your field that any imperfection becomes a personal slight against you. So, knowing this, when I had to sub for my professor, I made it a point to be the cooler one of the two. My boss, in a sense, was a bit of a hardass: he'd denote questions as improperly expressed or some demands for clarification as being useless. I never did. If I got something that should've been answered with a "Check your notes like an adult", I instead told them I'd circle back to them individually after class. I probably didn't push self-reliance like I probably should've for folks who wanted to go into research, but I really wanted to foster their interest and make sure they understood. Now, on the flipside, I also got slackers. Those, I unreservedly pushed. You know the types: those put in class with donation money, kids with connections who really just need the extra credit - the types that toxify a classroom for everyone else. I don't care if you're the Homecoming King or if you're making track for the regionals; if you're in my class, you've got a list of books to plough through like everyone else. Putting in the effort matters. Perfection doesn't. I honestly think both Nieman and Fletcher are equally noxious, especially by the end. Damien Chazelle wanted to more or less structure a movie for Music School nerds like a Varsity Sports drama, but he's missed the part where the sport magnifies the best parts of each player. Nieman doesn't get elevated - he gets warped out of shape.

Eric turning red with laughter was killing me

30:08 sarah has amazing instincts. 👍🏼

Ah yes, the movie that introduced me to jazz. Unleashed (2005) introduced me to classical music 🖤

I had dance and culinary teachers like this. Those people are intense lol.

9:18 one of your best reactions (Full Metal Jacket 1987]

Great movie and JK Simmons was amazing and so scary in this film😂 I don’t know which of these movies you guys have seen but react to: Prisoners, Interstellar, Inception, There Will Be Blood, Children of Men, Mad Max Fury Road, and The Martian. And tv shows then Mr Robot, it’s so underrated and it’s a masterpiece. You could argue it’s the best show of all time, it’s one of my favorites.

25:09 the reactions being in sync haha

10/10 Intense This movie was far better than the trailer made it look. JK Simmons gave a stellar performance as a music teacher in the best Jazz school, trying desperately to find and develop the next jazz legend. From the moment he appears he demands the screen, literately. There's a part in the flick were he just burst open the door putting a halt on whatever is going, and makes it all about what he wants, which sets the tone for the entire movie. One of the best antagonist I've seen at the movies. Miles Teller plays the protagonist, A first year Jazz student who wants to be the next Jazz legend and is willing to go through the pain needed to become just that. I've been a fan of Miles Teller for a while and this movie just increase my fandom It does not matter whether you are into jazz or not, this flick is about and boy willing to kill himself to become the best and the man willing to kill the boy so he can be the best. For anyone who has ever been in that kind of pressure, weather it be at college or on the playing field(I kid you not, watching these guys play Jazz played out like I was watching a Football movie with Miles being the Quarterback and JK being the coach) It was an emotion trill ride with a lot of ups and downs, and just when you think the ride is over, we go for a second time around. Excellence!!

17:24 the condescension is strong in this one. 😇

As a musician this movie was spot on for me at a depth that surprised me. The one voice of criticism of my music/technique was always louder than the 100 praises that I got and it drove me into an almost obsessive state of wanting to be at an unobtainable version of "perfect". Revenge by showing the naysayers they where wrong for my perceived short comings became an obsessive goal. Obviously that mindset is not sustainable and the breaking point in the movie is a great parallel to that feeling.

8:55 that _will_ ruin your day.

"There are no two words in the English language more harmful than: good job" I slightly disagree. I would add "unearned" in between "two words" in that sentence and that would be my philosophy. Fun Fact: The film was shot in 19 days. Drummer Boy Fact: Miles Teller, who has played the drums since he was 15, received blisters on his hands due to the vigorous, unconventional style of jazz drumming. Some of his blood was on the drumsticks and the drum set as a result. During the more intense practice scenes, the director wouldn't yell "cut!" so that Miles Teller would keep drumming until he exhausted himself. Landing Blows Fact: For the slapping scene, J.K. Simmons and Miles Teller filmed several takes with Simmons only miming the slap. For the final take, Simmons and Teller decided to film the scene with a real, genuine slap. This is the take that is in the film. J.K. Simmons suffered two cracked ribs when Miles Teller tackled him during the last two days of shooting. Simmons managed to continue working despite his injury.

10:46 sarah is *soooo* stressed.

This is NOT a good way to motivate your students. I had one band teacher that behaved in a similar manner, but nothing near what you see in this movie. She never hit any of us, but she would throw a temper tantrum if we messed up.

"there are no two words in the English language more harmful than "good job" is a great sentence to sum up the whole movie! I'm dropping a few facts here, but it was filmed in 19 days (that's incredible imho), and the close-up shots make it so intense, you have to get immersed in this experience ^^ Great reaction anyway, glad you enjoyed it :)

Fun fact, Throughout the whole movie you can see that Nieman wears darker and darker colors and is more and more bold to represent fletcher and during the final scene you can see he's in all black to represent fletchers dark appearance and hatred and also in the last scene when it cuts to Nieman's dad looking through the door and his smile fades he finally realizes he lost his son and fletcher won.

7:56 😮 ouch.

42:08 it does deserve a rewatch.

Great film. Great reaction. Of course Fletcher took the folder.

Fletcher is trying to save Jazz music. And he accomplished his goal. But he sacrificed his job, somebody died to do it. He was just trying to save Jazz music and thought if he could mold a legend that he could do it. And he did.

5:36 gotcha

11:33 😮😮😮😮😮

Guys, I have recently watched probably one of the greatest mini series I have vevr watched - Station Eleven! And I immediately thought of you, because I think you will like it too.

Fletcher keeps doing the same things to students that led to depression and suicide in a former student. Fletcher is a sadistic bully

now thats how you right a nuanced character jk simmons was phenomenal

12:17 In my experience in a music undergrad program and in the professional world, there are music directors/teachers that are abusive, but in all of the ensembles I have been in (academic or professional) I've never seen anything like the character Fletcher. However, from the arrogance of the opera singers and conductors that I've seen and the ones I've heard of, I'm sure there are some Fletcher-level musicians out there. It especially comes out when they're given power in a program, company, or production.

very honest reaction the best there is out there

This might have already been pointed out but the writer of the film stated he wrote the ending as a sad one instead of an inspiring one. He also concluded that Andrew likely died young and miserable from a heroine overdose.

Whiplash is always a hate-watch for me ^^' because I'll never stand for bullying and nothing is a good reason for it, not even "perfection". I'll never be on the same page of people siding with fletcher. I'd rather miss on the next charlie parker than have some tyrant make 200 students hang themselves for not being good enough. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Great reaction to a really solid movie. If you want to see a character that makes Fletcher look like the Eater Bunny, watch Swimming With Sharks (1994). Kevin Spacey is horrible & hilarious and it's an excellent but little-known movie. Also, I don't believe anyone else has reacted to it. Keep up the good work, guys. 👍✌❤

Watch Tool’s song “Pneuma” (drum cam) and you will never want to play drums again! Trust me, the greatest band (and drummer) of all time!!!!!!

This movie and the movie called drumline stared by nick cannon is why im a exceptional drummer to this day. Great movie reaction!

That is a perfect ending. Nothing else needed to be said.

Hello beautiful people! Abusers need outing. The ends do not justify the means. Love you guys and it's always a great pleasure to watch a movie with you

An interesting competitive sports movie where the bad guy wins in the end.

One of the greatest movies of all time and one of the most misunderstood. Despite what many refuse to admit, the movie is a heroic journey towards excellence, an expression of the deepest masculine desires for greatness and the way to overcome the trauma deminishing and collapsing them. P.s. you can see the misunderstanding right here in the comments

In the end the abuser won

G.I Jane

2014*

skipped over the best line in the movie, big shame!

I’m a drummer that very much dislikes this film. If your hands are bleeding because you’re playing, you’re holding your sticks incorrectly. Contact me for lessons, Miles…. *eye roll