Whiplash (2014)
Drum roll, please…
Whiplash was a film that I was certain I would like, simply based on the little information I knew: it won a bunch of awards, JK Simmons played a demanding music instructor, and there was going to be some great music throughout. Plus, Jen absolutely loved the film, which is always a good sign.
While watching, I was transported back to my band days: I smelled the practice rooms (which never smelled good), embraced the cacophonous sound of the individual instruments warming up, and cringed whenever the trumpet players emptied their spit valves (I always hated sitting directly in front of them). It really was a wonderful time.
Enter JK Simmons, the hard-nosed music teacher who is devoted to the craft and will accept nothing less than absolute perfection. From the first moments with him, I knew one thing: he was my guy. I knew I was going to adore this character, though he was going to be cut-throat, to say the least.
Much to my unending surprise, Jen saw the Terrance Fletcher character much in the same way that I did. Though we don’t particularly enjoy his methods, we appreciate his results.
To be great, you have to be willing to sacrifice.
This central theme of the film is something we both deeply appreciate. In an age where we want instant…
