I’ve heard many good things about the film Whiplash, but I’ve only recently gotten the chance to see it. And it’s safe to say that it’s one of the greats, definitely will be considered a classic must-watch in cinema history in the years to come. Whiplash takes you on this intense emotional journey that you experience alongside the main character; the feelings of pain, joy, anxiety, despair, frustration and triumph, you feel just as much as he does. 

Whiplash tells a story about an aspiring musician called Andrew Neiman who wants to be the best drummer in the world. One day while playing his drums, he caught the eye of Terence Fletcher, the most prestigious and respected music teacher at his school. Fletcher asked Andrew to come join his band, which is one of the best in the country. For a long time Andrew had dreamed about this opportunity, for the approval of Fletcher means that he has the chance of becoming one of the greats. 

Unbeknownst to him, what Fletcher will put him through would be nothing short of hell. In order to bring out Andrew’s potential, Fletcher will yell at him, verbally abuse him, and even throw a chair at him when he messes up. Fletcher does this because he believes that positive reinforcement is a one way ticket to mediocrity, that any sort of compliment will lead to complacency and squandering of one’s potential. That the only way to push through your limits and be the best is to break you down to nothing and see if you’re strong enough to build yourself back up better than before. But in doing this, he creates an atmosphere of absolute terror among his students, even driving one to suicide because of the abuse and pressure put on them. 

Fletcher sees something in Andrew, and because of it throughout the movie he puts Andrew in extreme situations, as if trying to make a stone into a diamond through sheer pressure. Andrew tries to win the respect of Fletcher through blood, sweat and tears, but it was never enough. It is through the extremities of this toxic relationship between mentor and student where Whiplash captures something special and terrifying. I wasn’t even the one being yelled at, but even then I felt anxious and stressed. 

Whiplash had one of the most incredible, electrifying finales that I’ve seen in any movie, and I’m not going to spoil it for you. Really, the last 20 minutes had me at the edge of my seat and my jaw on the floor. The final shot is how you should end a movie, it is masterful and full of mixed emotions. I still had my heart racing 15 minutes after the movie ended. The ending itself can also be interpreted in different ways, is it a happy ending, or a tragic one? There’s a lot to think about, particularly what would happen after it was all over. 

In the end, what I take from this story is that there is a price for greatness. To be great at something, you have to be willing to sacrifice something dear to yourself. Whether it be relationships, time, happiness and enjoyment, or even losing yourself along the way. There’s always a price to pay.