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| Miles Teller and J.K. Simmons |
Wes's Grade: A-
Ferocious Simmons highlights the riveting “Whiplash”
You know his face,
even if you don’t know his name. He’s appeared in numerous films like “Juno”
and “Spider-Man” and TV shows like “The Closer,” “Law and Order” and “Oz,”
though he’s likely most noticeable from those “We are Farmers” Farmers
Insurance commercials. After seeing the vastly compelling and superbly acted
new drama “Whiplash,” you’ll know who J.K. Simmons is, who tears into the role
of the villainous, sadistic music teacher with such muscularity and ferociousness
that you’ll wonder why he doesn’t have more good roles like this (and if you’ve
seen him in the aforementioned TV show “Oz” he's just as mean there). Andrew
Neyman (Miles Teller) is a promising young drummer who enrolls at a cutthroat
music conservatory where his dreams of greatness are mentored by Terence
Fletcher (Simmons), a perfectionist music conductor who will stop at nothing to
realize a student's potential talent. Directed and written by musician Damien
Chazelle and based on a short film of the same name also directed by Chazelle,
the hypnotic “Whiplash” unleashes an electric musical energy that pops with
force, and it’s certain to be an Oscar contender, with a strong turn not only
from Simmons, who's an early shoo-in for Best
Supporting Actor at this point, but also Teller in a sublimely low-key, simmering performance that should garner him more accolades for the young actor who also
impressed in last year’s dark “The Spectactular Now.” With solid
direction and writing from Chazelle in his feature film debut,
“Whiplash” remains mostly
in tempo for much of the film, though there are a couple of false notes:
the
romance with another young college student (Melissa Benoist), isn’t
well-drawn,
and there is a key plot development in the film that unlike the
stirring, often
violent practice sessions (where Simmons comes alive in the movie),
doesn’t
ring with realism. The underlying themes are also familiar: that the mean teacher will
inspire
to greatness, and also that practice often makes perfect. In the world
of real music,
practice is not always a substitute for true talent, but it sure makes for
a fine, entertaining film. The searing
finale, featuring one of the best, brutally and (literally) bloody good drum
solos I’ve seen on film from Teller, will leave you breathless. Put the excellent “Whiplash”
on your must-see of films to see this fall.
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