Whiplash

Miles Teller Director: Damien Chazelle Damien Chazelle

Overview

A talented young jazz drummer experiences a trial by fire when he's recruited by a ferocious instructor, whose unyielding search for perfection could destroy both of them. Andrew Neyman (Miles Teller) has been watching his father fail for most of his life. Determined to make a name for himself no matter what it takes, he enrolls in a prestigious East Coast music conservatory, and his talent quickly catches the attention of Terence Fletcher (J.K. Simmons), an esteemed music teacher notorious for his caustic approach in the classroom. The leader of the school's top jazz ensemble, Fletcher promptly transfers Neyman into his band, giving the ambitious young drummer a shot at true greatness. He may achieve it, too, if Fletcher's methods don't drive him to madness first.

Product Details

Release Date:	02/24/2015
UPC:	0043396445642
Original Release:	2014
Rating:	R
Source:	Sony Pictures
Region Code:	1
Sound:	[DTS 5.1-Channel Surround Sound]
Time:	1:47:00
Sales rank:	1,968

Special Features

Commentary with Writer/Director Damien Chazelle and J.K. Simmons; An evening at the Toronto International Film Festival with Miles Teller, J.K. Simmons and Damien Chazelle

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Miles Teller	Andrew Neyman
J.K. Simmons	Terence Fletcher
Melissa Benoist	Nicole
Paul Reiser	Jim
Austin Stowell	Ryan
Nate Lang	Carl
Max Kasch	Dorm Neighbor
Damon Gupton	Mr. Kramer
Chris Mulkey	Uncle Frank
Suanne Spoke	Aunt Emma
Charlie Ian	Dustin
Jayson Blair	Travis
Kofi Siriboe	Bassist (Nassau)
Kavita Patil	Assistant - Sophie
C.J. Vana	Metz
Tarik Lowe	Pianist (Studio Band)
Tyler Kimball	Saxophonist #2 (Studio Band)
Rogelio Douglas	Trumpeter #1 (Studio Band)
Adrian Burks	Trumpeter #2 (Studio Band)
Calvin C. Winbush	Saxophonist (Studio Band)
Joseph Bruno	Technician (Overbrook) - Mike
Michael D. Cohen	Stage Hand (Overbrook)
Jocelyn Ayanna	Passerby (Bus station)
Keenan Henson	Truck Driver
Janet Joskins	Passerby (Dunellen)
April Grace	Rachel Bornholdt
Clifton Eddie	Drummer (Quartet)
Marcus Henderson	Bassist (JVC)
Tony Baker	Stagehand (Carnegie Hall)
Henry G. Sanders	Red Henderson
Sam Campisi	Andrew (8 years old)
Jimmie Kirkpatrick	Nassau Trumpeter #2
Keenan Allen	Studio Core Member #1
Ayinde Vaughn	Studio Core Member #2
Shai Golan	Studio Core Member #3
Yancey Wells	Studio Core Member #4

Technical Credits

Damien Chazelle

Damien Chazelle	Director,Screenwriter
Jason Blum	Producer
Jeanette Brill	Executive Producer
Nicholas Britell	Co-producer
Hunter Brown	Art Director
Tom Cross	Editor
Thomas Curley	Sound Mixer
Phillip Dawe	Associate Producer
Garrick Dion	Co-producer
Helen Estabrook	Producer
Jason Goebel	Camera Operator
Lauren Hadaway	Sound Editor
Nicolas Harvard	Asst. Director
Justin Hurwitz	Score Composer,Songwriter
Melanie Jones	Production Designer
David Lancaster	Producer
Michel Litvak	Producer
Sharone Meir	Cinematographer
Lisa Gaye Norcia	Costumes/Costume Designer
Melanie Paizis-Jones	Production Designer
Sarah Potts	Co-producer
Jason Reitman	Executive Producer
Andy Ross	Musical Direction/Supervision
Couper Samuelson	Executive Producer
Tim Simonec	Score Composer
Terri Taylor	Casting
Gary Michael Walters	Executive Producer
Stephanie Wilcox	Co-producer

Scene Index

Disc #1 -- Whiplash
1. Scene 1 [6:51]
2. Scene 2 [7:42]
3. Scene 3 [9:51]
4. Scene 4 [5:39]
5. Scene 5 [5:37]
6. Scene 6 [7:46]
7. Scene 7 [3:23]
8. Scene 8 [6:16]
9. Scene 9 [9:24]
10. Scene 10 [7:52]
11. Scene 11 [3:31]
12. Scene 12 [3:46]
13. Scene 13 [5:17]
14. Scene 14 [2:22]
15. Scene 15 [6:26]
16. Scene 16 [14:49]

Menu

Disc #1 -- Whiplash
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      An Evening At The Toronto International Film Festival With Miles Teller, J.K. Simmons and Damien Chazelle
      Theatrical Trailer
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Editorial Reviews

You don't have to have a working knowledge of jazz music or history to be riveted by writer/director Damien Chazelle's Whiplash; all that's required is a working knowledge of dreams and how they function. Dreams in a figurative sense, that is, as this blistering psychological drama takes you into the vulnerable headspace of a talented young jazz drummer suffering acute mental anguish under the tutelage of his relentless music instructor -- a man driven by the singular goal of molding the next Charlie Parker or Buddy Rich. For as long as Andrew Neyman (Miles Teller) can remember, he's been watching his father fail. Determined to make a name for himself no matter what it takes, he enrolls in a prestigious East Coast music conservatory. His talent quickly catches the attention of Terence Fletcher (J.K. Simmons), an esteemed music teacher who's notorious for his caustic approach in the classroom. The leader of the school's top jazz ensemble, Fletcher promptly transfers Neyman into his band, giving the ambitious young drummer a shot at true greatness. He may achieve it, too -- if Neyman's methods don't drive him to madness first. We've all had those teachers whose expectations seem somewhat unrealistic, but Simmons' Terence Fletcher is much more than that: Like a volatile mix of Swimming With Sharks' Buddy Ackerman and Full Metal Jacket's Gny. Sgt. Hartman, he's an absolute force of nature who's capable of summoning a hurricane in the blink of an eye. A veteran supporting player whose recognition is long overdue, Simmons is nothing short of terrifying in his portrayal of a teacher who wouldn't think twice about breaking 100 students if it meant that one had a shot at legendary status. Unlike those aforementioned antagonists, however, the thing that makes this character so positively compelling are the nuances with which Chazelle paints him in the film's uncompromisingly intense screenplay, as well as the seemingly effortless manner by which Simmons can turn from soulful to savage in the clash of a cymbal. From the moment we first encounter Fletcher, it's apparent that he has a reputation, and though his gruffness is almost endearing at first glance, the manner in which he manipulates young Andrew during his very first session with the band hints at something far more sadistic beneath the surface. Fletcher would have been completely unsympathetic in almost any other film, but together with Chazelle, Simmons reveals the character's human side at just the right intervals to make him utterly fascinating. Of course, a character of such stern conviction can't exist in a vacuum, and in talented up-and-comer Miles Teller, Chazelle finds the perfect foil for Fletcher's unrelenting wrath. In his role as the young drummer as determined to succeed as Fletcher is to break him, Teller portrays a potent mix of ambition, vulnerability, and hubris that leaves him particularly susceptible to his teacher's ethically compromised methods. He also sells his performance scenes with sweaty conviction, a factor that gives his character's obsessive drive to become "one of the greats" true substance. But while each scene between Teller and Simmons bristles with tension, the scenes that find Neyman pulling away from seemingly perfect match Nicole (Melissa Benoist) exist solely to emphasize his all-consuming focus on drumming. As a result, they're more functional than profound, despite a commendable effort from charismatic Glee veteran Benoist. Far more interesting and relevant are the moments between Neyman and his father (Paul Reiser), an aspiring writer-turned-teacher who has long since given up on his dreams, yet never wavers in support of his son. In addition to providing a satisfying contrast against his onscreen son's swelling hubris, Reiser's paternal warmth delivers a much needed respite from Simmons' severe volatility. But make no mistake: It's Simmons' explosive, career-defining performance that really brings Whiplash to life. His Fletcher is a deeply passionate, fatally flawed character whose obsession with molding the next jazz great has clouded his good intentions with inky, malicious acidity. We never quite know what to expect from him, especially after his relationship with Neyman has gone beyond the breaking point, and that's the singular factor that gives their final confrontation a near-agonizing intensity. Even with an experienced veteran like Simmons firing on all cylinders, that's an impressive feat for a first-time director, and should Chazelle succeed in summoning a fraction of that passion in his future films, he's unlikely to be just another one-hit wonder.

All Movie Guide - Jason Buchanan