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Whiplash (2014 film)

Whiplash is a 2014 American psychological drama film written and directed by Damien Chazelle, starring Miles Teller, J. K. Simmons, Paul Reiser, and Melissa Benoist. It focuses on an ambitious music student and aspiring jazz drummer (Teller), who is pushed to his limit by his abusive instructor (Simmons) at the fictional Shaffer Conservatory in New York City.

Whiplash
Theatrical release poster
Directed byDamien Chazelle
Written byDamien Chazelle
Based onWhiplash
by Damien Chazelle
Produced by
Starring
CinematographySharone Meir
Edited byTom Cross
Music byJustin Hurwitz
Production
companies
Distributed bySony Pictures Classics
Release dates
  • January 16, 2014 (2014-01-16) (Sundance)
  • October 10, 2014 (2014-10-10) (United States)
Running time
106 minutes[1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$3.3 million[2]
Box office$49 million[2]

The film was produced by Bold Films, Blumhouse Productions, and Right of Way Films. Sony Pictures acquired distribution rights for most of the world, releasing the film under Sony Pictures Classics in North America, Germany, and Australia, and Stage 6 Films in select international territories.[3][4]

Chazelle completed the script in 2013, drawing upon his experiences in a "very competitive" jazz band in high school. Soon after, Right of Way and Blumhouse helped Chazelle turn fifteen pages of the script into an eighteen-minute short film, also titled Whiplash. The short film received acclaim after debuting at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival, which attracted investors to produce the complete version of the script. Filming took place in September 2013 throughout Los Angeles over the course of twenty days. The film explores concepts of perfectionism, dedication, and success and deconstructs the concept of ambition.

Whiplash premiered in competition at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival on January 16, as the festival's opening film; it won the Audience Award and Grand Jury Prize for drama.[5] The film opened in limited release domestically in the United States and Canada on October 10, 2014, gradually expanding to over 500 screens and finally closing on March 26, 2015. The film received acclaim for its screenplay, direction, editing, sound mixing, and performances. It grossed $49 million on a $3.3 million budget, making it Chazelle's highest-grossing feature until La La Land (2016). The film received multiple accolades, winning Academy Awards for Best Film Editing and Best Sound Mixing, and was nominated for Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay. Simmons's performance won the Academy, BAFTA, Critics' Choice, Golden Globe, and Screen Actors Guild awards for Best Supporting Actor. It has since been assessed as one of the best films of the 2010s, the 21st century and of all time.[6][7][8][9][10]

Plot edit

Jazz drummer Andrew Neiman attends the prestigious Shaffer Conservatory in New York City, hoping one day to leave a legacy like that of his childhood idol Buddy Rich. Terence Fletcher, the conductor of the Shaffer Conservatory Studio Band, recruits him to play in the Studio ensemble as an alternate for core drummer Carl Tanner. Andrew quickly discovers that Fletcher, although encouraging at first, is relentlessly strict and both verbally and physically abusive towards his students, made apparent when he throws a chair at Andrew and then slaps and berates him for failing to keep tempo during the ensemble's rehearsal of Hank Levy's titular piece, "Whiplash".

Determined to impress Fletcher, Andrew excessively practices, oftentimes until his hands blister and bleed. After their first set at a jazz competition, Andrew misplaces Tanner's sheet music. Since Tanner cannot play without the sheets, Andrew replaces him for the next set and performs it from memory. After a successful performance of "Whiplash", Fletcher promotes Andrew to core drummer. However, Andrew is taken aback when Fletcher abruptly gives the position to Ryan Connolly, a drummer from a lower-level ensemble within Shaffer. Because of his single-mindedness towards music, Andrew's relationship with his family deteriorates, and he breaks up with his girlfriend, Nicole, to focus on his ambitions. After a grueling five-hour practice session with Tanner and Connolly on "Caravan" during which Fletcher demands they play at the fastest possible tempo, Andrew earns back the core position.

On the way to the next competition, Andrew's bus gets a flat tire. He rents a car but arrives late and forgets his sticks at the rental office. After Fletcher reluctantly agrees to wait, Andrew races back and retrieves them, but is hit by a truck on the way back. He is heavily injured, but crawls from the wreckage and runs to the theater, arriving with a bloodied face and tattered suit just as the ensemble enters the stage. He struggles to play "Caravan", and Fletcher halts the performance to dismiss him from the band. Enraged, Andrew attacks Fletcher onstage but is pulled away by security and expelled from Shaffer.

At his father's request, Andrew meets a lawyer representing the parents of the late Sean Casey, a former student of Fletcher's. Though Fletcher had claimed Casey died in a car accident, in reality he had hanged himself after suffering depression and anxiety allegedly inflicted by Fletcher's abuse. Casey's parents want Fletcher held accountable, and Andrew reluctantly agrees to testify anonymously, leading Shaffer to terminate Fletcher.

Andrew subsequently abandons drumming, but months later encounters Fletcher playing piano at a jazz club. Over a drink, Fletcher admits his teaching methods were harsh but insists they were necessary to motivate his students to become successful, citing an incident in Charlie Parker's rise to fame as an example. He invites Andrew to perform with his band at the JVC Jazz Festival, assuring him that the songs will be the same ones played by the Studio Band; Andrew hesitantly accepts. Andrew calls Nicole to invite her to the performance, but finds out she is in a new relationship.

At JVC, Fletcher confronts Andrew and reveals he knows Andrew testified against him. As revenge, Fletcher leads the band into a song Andrew does not know and was not provided sheet music for. After a disastrous performance, Andrew walks offstage humiliated. His father embraces him backstage, and Andrew returns to the stage, reclaims the drum kit, and cuts off Fletcher's introduction to the next piece by cueing the band into "Caravan". Initially angered, Fletcher resumes conducting. As the piece finishes, Andrew continues into an unexpected extended solo. Impressed, Fletcher nods in approval before cueing the finale.

Cast edit

 
 
 
The film stars Miles Teller, J.K. Simmons, and Paul Reiser.
  • Miles Teller as Andrew Neiman, an ambitious young jazz drummer at Shaffer Conservatory
  • J. K. Simmons as Terence Fletcher, a ruthless jazz instructor at Shaffer
  • Paul Reiser as Jim Neiman, Andrew's father, a writer turned high school teacher
  • Melissa Benoist as Nicole, a movie theater employee who briefly dates Andrew
  • Austin Stowell as Ryan Connolly, another drummer in Fletcher's band
  • Nate Lang as Carl Tanner, another drummer in Fletcher's band
  • Chris Mulkey as Uncle Frank Neiman, Andrew's uncle
  • Damon Gupton as Mr. Kramer, Andrew's first instructor before being recruited by Fletcher

Production edit

Development edit

 
 
Writer-director Damien Chazelle and producer Jason Blum

While attending Princeton High School, writer-director Damien Chazelle was in the "very competitive" Studio Band and drew on the dread he felt in those years.[11] He based the conductor, Terence Fletcher, on his former band instructor (who died in 2003) but "pushed it further", adding elements of Buddy Rich and other band leaders known for their harsh treatment.[11] Chazelle wrote the film "initially in frustration" while trying to get his musical La La Land off the ground.[12]

Right of Way Films and Blumhouse Productions helped Chazelle turn fifteen pages of his original screenplay into a short film starring Johnny Simmons as Neiman and J. K. Simmons (no relation)[13] as Fletcher.[14] The eighteen-minute short film received acclaim after debuting at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival, winning the short film Jury Award for fiction,[15] which attracted investors to produce the complete version of the script.[16] The feature-length film was financed for $3.3 million by Bold Films.[3]

In August 2013, Miles Teller signed on to star in the role originated by Johnny Simmons; J. K. Simmons remained attached to his original role.[17] Early on, Chazelle gave J. K. Simmons direction that "I want you to take it past what you think the normal limit would be," telling him: "I don't want to see a human being on-screen any more. I want to see a monster, a gargoyle, an animal." Many of the band members were real musicians or music students, and Chazelle tried to capture their expressions of fear and anxiety when Simmons pressed them. Chazelle said that, in between takes, Simmons was "as sweet as can be", which he credits for keeping "the shoot from being nightmarish".[11]

Filming edit

Principal photography began in September 2013, with filming taking place throughout Los Angeles, including the Hotel Barclay, Palace Theater, and the Orpheum Theatre.[18][19] The film was shot in nineteen days, with a schedule of fourteen hours of filming per day.[20] Chazelle was involved in a serious car accident in the third week of filming and was hospitalized with possible concussion, but he returned to set the following day to wrap the shoot on time.[20]

Having taught himself to play drums at age fifteen, Teller performed much of the drumming seen in the film. Supporting actor and jazz drummer Nate Lang, who plays Teller's rival Carl in the film, trained Teller in the specifics of jazz drumming; this included changing his grip from "matched" to "traditional".[citation needed] For certain scenes, professional drummer Kyle Crane served as Teller's drum double.[21][22]

Music edit

 
Composer Justin Hurwitz

The soundtrack album was released on October 7, 2014, via Varèse Sarabande label.[23] The soundtrack consists of 24 tracks divided in three different parts: original jazz pieces written for the film, original underscore parts written for the film, and classic jazz standards written by Stan Getz, Duke Ellington, and other musicians. The actual drummer was Bernie Dresel.[24]

On March 27, 2020, an expanded deluxe edition was released on double CD and 2-LP gatefold sleeve vinyl with new cover art, and featured original music by Justin Hurwitz, plus bonus track and remixes by Timo Garcia, Opiuo, Murray A. Lightburn and more.[25]

Reception edit

Box office edit

In North America, the film opened in a limited release on October 10, 2014, in 6 theaters, grossing $135,388 ($22,565 per theater) and finishing 34th at the box office.[2] It expanded to 88 locations, then 419 locations.[26] After three months on release it had earned $7 million, and finally expanded nationwide to 1000 locations to capitalize on receiving five Academy Awards nominations.[27] Whiplash grossed $13.1 million in the U.S. and Canada and $35.9 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $49 million against a budget of $3.3 million.[2]

Critical response edit

 
Director Damien Chazelle at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival.

On the review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, the film scored 94% based on 307 reviews, with an average rating of 8.6/10. The site's critical consensus states, "Intense, inspiring, and well-acted, Whiplash is a brilliant sophomore effort from director Damien Chazelle and a riveting vehicle for stars J. K. Simmons and Miles Teller."[28] On Metacritic the film has a score of 89 out of 100, based on reviews from 49 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[29] Simmons received wide praise for his performance and won the 2015 Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.[30][31]

Peter Debruge, in his review for Variety, said that the film "demolishes the cliches of the musical-prodigy genre, investing the traditionally polite stages and rehearsal studios of a topnotch conservatory with all the psychological intensity of a battlefield or sports arena."[32] Todd McCarthy of The Hollywood Reporter praised the performances of Teller and Simmons, writing: "Teller, who greatly impressed in last year's Sundance entry The Spectacular Now, does so again in a performance that is more often simmering than volatile ... Simmons has the great good fortune for a character actor to have here found a co-lead part he can really run with, which is what he excitingly does with a man who is profane, way out of bounds and, like many a good villain, utterly compelling."[33] Whiplash also won the 87th Academy Award for Best Sound Mixing and the 87th Academy Award for Best Film Editing.[34]

Amber Wilkinson of The Daily Telegraph praised the direction and editing, writing: "Chazelle's film has a sharp and gripping rhythm, with shots beautifully edited by Tom Cross... often cutting to the crash of Andrew's drums."[35] James Rocchi of Indiewire gave a positive review and said, "Whiplash is ... full of bravado and swagger, uncompromising where it needs to be, informed by great performances and patient with both its characters and the things that matter to them."[36] Henry Barnes of The Guardian gave the film a positive review, calling it a rare film "about music that professes its love for the music and its characters equally."[34]

Forrest Wickman of Slate said the film distorted jazz history and promoted a misleading idea of genius, adding that "In all likelihood, Fletcher isn't making a Charlie Parker. He's making the kind of musician that would throw a cymbal at him."[37] In The New Yorker, Richard Brody said,"Whiplash honors neither jazz nor cinema."[38]

Top ten lists edit

The film appeared on many critics' end-of-year lists. Metacritic collected lists published by major film critics and publications and in their analysis, recorded that Whiplash appeared on 57 lists and in 1st place on 5 of those lists. Overall the film was ranked in 5th place for the year by Metacritic.[39]

Accolades edit

The film received the top audience and grand jury awards in the U.S. dramatic competition at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival;[43] Chazelle's short film of the same name took home the jury award in the U.S. fiction category one year prior.[15] The film also took the grand prize and the audience award for its favorite film at the 40th Deauville American Film Festival.[44]

Whiplash was originally planned to compete for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, but on January 6, 2015, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) announced that the film would instead be competing in the Adapted Screenplay category[45] to the surprise of many including Chazelle,[46] due to the short film premiering at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival (one year before the feature film's release), even though the feature film's script was written first and the short was made to attract investors into producing the feature-length film.[14] Although the Writers Guild of America categorized the screenplay as original, AMPAS classed it as an adaptation of the 2013 short version.[46]

At the 87th Academy Awards, J. K. Simmons received the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance, Tom Cross won the Academy Award for Best Film Editing and Craig Mann, Ben Wilkins and Thomas Curley won the Academy Award for Best Sound Mixing. In December 2015, the score received a Grammy nomination, and the film was nominated for the NME Award for Best Film.[citation needed]

In 2020, it ranked 13 on Empire's list of "The 100 Greatest Movies Of The 21st Century."[47] In 2024, it topped the list of the Sundance Film Festival's Top 10 Films of All Time as the result of a survey conducted with 500 filmmakers and critics in honor of the festival's 40th anniversary.[48][49]

References edit

  1. ^ "Whiplash". British Board of Film Classification. August 5, 2014. from the original on November 13, 2014. Retrieved November 12, 2014.
  2. ^ a b c d "Whiplash (2014)". Box Office Mojo. from the original on October 9, 2015. Retrieved November 9, 2015.
  3. ^ a b Horn, John (January 16, 2014). "Sundance 2014: Sony grabs international rights to 'Whiplash'". Los Angeles Times. from the original on January 18, 2014. Retrieved January 19, 2014.
  4. ^ "Sundance: Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions Nabs International Rights To Fest Opener 'Whiplash'". Deadline Hollywood. January 16, 2014. Retrieved January 29, 2023.
  5. ^ Cohen, Sandy (January 17, 2014). "Sundance Film Festival 2014 opens with the premiere of 'Whiplash,' Damien Chazelle's tale of a brutal drumming instructor and his protege". The Oregonian. Associated Press. from the original on July 20, 2018. Retrieved January 18, 2014.
  6. ^ "100 Greatest Movies of All Time".
  7. ^ "The 10 Best Music Films of All Time (According to IMDb)". Screen Rant. February 8, 2020.
  8. ^ Shoard, Catherine (December 9, 2014). "The 10 best films of 2014: No 4 – Whiplash". The Guardian.
  9. ^ "The 100 Greatest Movies Of The 21st Century". Empire. March 18, 2020. from the original on August 17, 2021. Retrieved August 18, 2023.
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  12. ^ Hammond, Pete (August 30, 2016). "Damien Chazelle's La La Land, An Ode To Musicals, Romance & L.A., Ready To Launch Venice And Oscar Season". Deadline Hollywood. from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved September 20, 2016.
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  16. ^ Fleming, Mike Jr. (May 14, 2013). "Cannes: Bold, Blumhouse, Right Of Way Strike Up Band For Feature Version Of Sundance Short Whiplash". Deadline Hollywood. Penske Media Corporation. from the original on February 23, 2014. Retrieved January 19, 2014.
  17. ^ Fleming, Mike Jr. (August 5, 2013). "The Spectacular Now's Miles Teller Gets Whiplash". Deadline Hollywood. Penske Media Corporation. from the original on February 15, 2014. Retrieved January 19, 2014.
  18. ^ McNary, Dave (September 19, 2013). "Jake Gyllenhaal's Nightcrawler Gets California Incentive (Exclusive)". Variety. Penske Media Corporation. from the original on November 1, 2013. Retrieved January 19, 2014.
  19. ^ "Tuesday, Sept. 24 Filming Locations for The Heirs, Undrafted, Dumb & Dumber To, Focus, Shelter, & more!". On Location Vacations. September 24, 2013. from the original on January 9, 2014. Retrieved January 19, 2014.
  20. ^ a b "Making of 'Whiplash': How a 20-Something Shot His Harrowing Script in Just 19 Days". The Hollywood Reporter. December 9, 2014. from the original on May 22, 2020. Retrieved March 4, 2015.
  21. ^ "Kyle Crane: Bigger Achievements". tapeop.com. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
  22. ^ Morgenstern, Michael, Keeping Time: Kyle Crane on the Drums (Documentary, Short, Drama), retrieved February 16, 2023
  23. ^ "Whiplash Soundtrack Details". filmmusicreporter.com. from the original on May 23, 2017. Retrieved April 10, 2017.
  24. ^ Van de Sande, Kris (February 5, 2016). "Talking animals with Zootopia's Creative Minds". Endor Express. from the original on February 26, 2020. Retrieved February 26, 2020.
  25. ^ Micucci, Matt (February 20, 2020). "Listen to a Bonus Track from New Expanded "Whiplash" Soundtrack Album". JAZZIZ Magazine. from the original on June 22, 2020. Retrieved June 19, 2020.
  26. ^ Ray Subers (November 16, 2014). "Weekend Report: 'Dumb' Sequel Takes First Ahead of 'Big Hero 6,' 'Interstellar'". Box Office Mojo.
  27. ^ Ray Subers (January 22, 2015). "Forecast: Bombs Away for 'Mortdecai,' 'Strange Magic'". Box Office Mojo.
  28. ^ "Whiplash (2014)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. from the original on October 13, 2023. Retrieved October 13, 2023.
  29. ^ "Whiplash". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. from the original on October 13, 2023. Retrieved October 13, 2023.
  30. ^ Smith, Nigel M (October 15, 2014). "J. K. Simmons on His Whiplash Oscar Buzz and Abusing Miles Teller". indieWire. from the original on October 18, 2014. Retrieved October 15, 2014.
  31. ^ Riley, Jenelle (September 3, 2014). "J. K. Simmons on Playing a 'Real' Villain in Whiplash". Variety. from the original on September 5, 2014. Retrieved September 3, 2014.
  32. ^ "Sundance Film Review: Whiplash". Variety. January 17, 2014. from the original on January 20, 2014. Retrieved January 19, 2014.
  33. ^ "Whiplash: Sundance Review". The Hollywood Reporter. January 17, 2014. from the original on January 19, 2014. Retrieved January 19, 2014.
  34. ^ a b "Whiplash: Sundance 2014 – first look review". The Guardian. January 17, 2014. from the original on January 19, 2014. Retrieved January 19, 2014.
  35. ^ "Sundance 2014: Whiplash, review". The Telegraph. January 18, 2014. from the original on January 19, 2014. Retrieved January 19, 2014.
  36. ^ . indieWire. Archived from the original on February 19, 2015. Retrieved January 19, 2014.
  37. ^ Wickman, Forrest (October 11, 2014). "What Whiplash Gets Wrong About Genius, Work, and the Charlie Parker Myth". Slate. from the original on October 13, 2014. Retrieved October 13, 2014.
  38. ^ Brody, Richard (October 13, 2014). "Getting Jazz Right in the Movies". The New Yorker. from the original on April 20, 2020. Retrieved February 5, 2015.
  39. ^ Dietz, Jason (December 6, 2014). "Best of 2014: Film Critic Top Ten Lists". Metacritic. Retrieved June 6, 2021.
  40. ^ Nashawaty, Chris (December 4, 2014). . Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on March 28, 2021. Retrieved March 28, 2021.
  41. ^ a b c d "The best of film 2014: The ballots". The A.V. Club. December 18, 2014.
  42. ^ . Archived from the original on December 10, 2015. Retrieved August 26, 2020.
  43. ^ Zeitchik, Steven; Olsen, Mark (January 25, 2014). "Sundance 2014 winners: 'Whiplash' wins big". Los Angeles Times. from the original on January 26, 2014. Retrieved January 27, 2014.
  44. ^ Richford, Rhonda (September 13, 2014). "'Whiplash' Takes Top Prize in Deauville". The Hollywood Reporter. from the original on September 14, 2014. Retrieved September 13, 2014.
  45. ^ Tapley, Kristopher (January 6, 2015). "Oscar surprise: 'Whiplash' deemed an adapted screenplay by Academy". HitFix. from the original on January 6, 2015. Retrieved January 6, 2015.
  46. ^ a b Hammond, Peter (January 6, 2015). "Academy & WGA At Odds Over 'Whiplash' Screenplay; Will It Hurt Oscar Chances?". Deadline Hollywood. from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved December 28, 2017.
  47. ^ "The 100 Greatest Movies of the 21st Century". March 18, 2020.
  48. ^ "Alliance of Women Directors Announces Inaugural Rising Director Fellowship Class – Film News in Brief". Variety. January 16, 2024. Retrieved February 26, 2024.
  49. ^ Bergeson, Samantha (January 16, 2024). "'Whiplash' Named Top Sundance Film of All Time in Festival Poll of Over 500 Filmmakers and Critics". IndieWire. Retrieved February 26, 2024.

External links edit

whiplash, 2014, film, whiplash, 2014, american, psychological, drama, film, written, directed, damien, chazelle, starring, miles, teller, simmons, paul, reiser, melissa, benoist, focuses, ambitious, music, student, aspiring, jazz, drummer, teller, pushed, limi. Whiplash is a 2014 American psychological drama film written and directed by Damien Chazelle starring Miles Teller J K Simmons Paul Reiser and Melissa Benoist It focuses on an ambitious music student and aspiring jazz drummer Teller who is pushed to his limit by his abusive instructor Simmons at the fictional Shaffer Conservatory in New York City WhiplashTheatrical release posterDirected byDamien ChazelleWritten byDamien ChazelleBased onWhiplashby Damien ChazelleProduced byJason Blum Helen Estabrook Michel Litvak David LancasterStarringMiles Teller J K Simmons Paul ReiserCinematographySharone MeirEdited byTom CrossMusic byJustin HurwitzProductioncompaniesBold Films Blumhouse Productions Right of Way FilmsDistributed bySony Pictures ClassicsRelease datesJanuary 16 2014 2014 01 16 Sundance October 10 2014 2014 10 10 United States Running time106 minutes 1 CountryUnited StatesLanguageEnglishBudget 3 3 million 2 Box office 49 million 2 The film was produced by Bold Films Blumhouse Productions and Right of Way Films Sony Pictures acquired distribution rights for most of the world releasing the film under Sony Pictures Classics in North America Germany and Australia and Stage 6 Films in select international territories 3 4 Chazelle completed the script in 2013 drawing upon his experiences in a very competitive jazz band in high school Soon after Right of Way and Blumhouse helped Chazelle turn fifteen pages of the script into an eighteen minute short film also titled Whiplash The short film received acclaim after debuting at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival which attracted investors to produce the complete version of the script Filming took place in September 2013 throughout Los Angeles over the course of twenty days The film explores concepts of perfectionism dedication and success and deconstructs the concept of ambition Whiplash premiered in competition at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival on January 16 as the festival s opening film it won the Audience Award and Grand Jury Prize for drama 5 The film opened in limited release domestically in the United States and Canada on October 10 2014 gradually expanding to over 500 screens and finally closing on March 26 2015 The film received acclaim for its screenplay direction editing sound mixing and performances It grossed 49 million on a 3 3 million budget making it Chazelle s highest grossing feature until La La Land 2016 The film received multiple accolades winning Academy Awards for Best Film Editing and Best Sound Mixing and was nominated for Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay Simmons s performance won the Academy BAFTA Critics Choice Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild awards for Best Supporting Actor It has since been assessed as one of the best films of the 2010s the 21st century and of all time 6 7 8 9 10 Contents 1 Plot 2 Cast 3 Production 3 1 Development 3 2 Filming 4 Music 5 Reception 5 1 Box office 5 2 Critical response 5 3 Top ten lists 5 4 Accolades 6 References 7 External linksPlot editJazz drummer Andrew Neiman attends the prestigious Shaffer Conservatory in New York City hoping one day to leave a legacy like that of his childhood idol Buddy Rich Terence Fletcher the conductor of the Shaffer Conservatory Studio Band recruits him to play in the Studio ensemble as an alternate for core drummer Carl Tanner Andrew quickly discovers that Fletcher although encouraging at first is relentlessly strict and both verbally and physically abusive towards his students made apparent when he throws a chair at Andrew and then slaps and berates him for failing to keep tempo during the ensemble s rehearsal of Hank Levy s titular piece Whiplash Determined to impress Fletcher Andrew excessively practices oftentimes until his hands blister and bleed After their first set at a jazz competition Andrew misplaces Tanner s sheet music Since Tanner cannot play without the sheets Andrew replaces him for the next set and performs it from memory After a successful performance of Whiplash Fletcher promotes Andrew to core drummer However Andrew is taken aback when Fletcher abruptly gives the position to Ryan Connolly a drummer from a lower level ensemble within Shaffer Because of his single mindedness towards music Andrew s relationship with his family deteriorates and he breaks up with his girlfriend Nicole to focus on his ambitions After a grueling five hour practice session with Tanner and Connolly on Caravan during which Fletcher demands they play at the fastest possible tempo Andrew earns back the core position On the way to the next competition Andrew s bus gets a flat tire He rents a car but arrives late and forgets his sticks at the rental office After Fletcher reluctantly agrees to wait Andrew races back and retrieves them but is hit by a truck on the way back He is heavily injured but crawls from the wreckage and runs to the theater arriving with a bloodied face and tattered suit just as the ensemble enters the stage He struggles to play Caravan and Fletcher halts the performance to dismiss him from the band Enraged Andrew attacks Fletcher onstage but is pulled away by security and expelled from Shaffer At his father s request Andrew meets a lawyer representing the parents of the late Sean Casey a former student of Fletcher s Though Fletcher had claimed Casey died in a car accident in reality he had hanged himself after suffering depression and anxiety allegedly inflicted by Fletcher s abuse Casey s parents want Fletcher held accountable and Andrew reluctantly agrees to testify anonymously leading Shaffer to terminate Fletcher Andrew subsequently abandons drumming but months later encounters Fletcher playing piano at a jazz club Over a drink Fletcher admits his teaching methods were harsh but insists they were necessary to motivate his students to become successful citing an incident in Charlie Parker s rise to fame as an example He invites Andrew to perform with his band at the JVC Jazz Festival assuring him that the songs will be the same ones played by the Studio Band Andrew hesitantly accepts Andrew calls Nicole to invite her to the performance but finds out she is in a new relationship At JVC Fletcher confronts Andrew and reveals he knows Andrew testified against him As revenge Fletcher leads the band into a song Andrew does not know and was not provided sheet music for After a disastrous performance Andrew walks offstage humiliated His father embraces him backstage and Andrew returns to the stage reclaims the drum kit and cuts off Fletcher s introduction to the next piece by cueing the band into Caravan Initially angered Fletcher resumes conducting As the piece finishes Andrew continues into an unexpected extended solo Impressed Fletcher nods in approval before cueing the finale Cast edit nbsp nbsp nbsp The film stars Miles Teller J K Simmons and Paul Reiser Miles Teller as Andrew Neiman an ambitious young jazz drummer at Shaffer Conservatory J K Simmons as Terence Fletcher a ruthless jazz instructor at Shaffer Paul Reiser as Jim Neiman Andrew s father a writer turned high school teacher Melissa Benoist as Nicole a movie theater employee who briefly dates Andrew Austin Stowell as Ryan Connolly another drummer in Fletcher s band Nate Lang as Carl Tanner another drummer in Fletcher s band Chris Mulkey as Uncle Frank Neiman Andrew s uncle Damon Gupton as Mr Kramer Andrew s first instructor before being recruited by FletcherProduction editDevelopment edit nbsp nbsp Writer director Damien Chazelle and producer Jason Blum While attending Princeton High School writer director Damien Chazelle was in the very competitive Studio Band and drew on the dread he felt in those years 11 He based the conductor Terence Fletcher on his former band instructor who died in 2003 but pushed it further adding elements of Buddy Rich and other band leaders known for their harsh treatment 11 Chazelle wrote the film initially in frustration while trying to get his musical La La Land off the ground 12 Right of Way Films and Blumhouse Productions helped Chazelle turn fifteen pages of his original screenplay into a short film starring Johnny Simmons as Neiman and J K Simmons no relation 13 as Fletcher 14 The eighteen minute short film received acclaim after debuting at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival winning the short film Jury Award for fiction 15 which attracted investors to produce the complete version of the script 16 The feature length film was financed for 3 3 million by Bold Films 3 In August 2013 Miles Teller signed on to star in the role originated by Johnny Simmons J K Simmons remained attached to his original role 17 Early on Chazelle gave J K Simmons direction that I want you to take it past what you think the normal limit would be telling him I don t want to see a human being on screen any more I want to see a monster a gargoyle an animal Many of the band members were real musicians or music students and Chazelle tried to capture their expressions of fear and anxiety when Simmons pressed them Chazelle said that in between takes Simmons was as sweet as can be which he credits for keeping the shoot from being nightmarish 11 Filming edit Principal photography began in September 2013 with filming taking place throughout Los Angeles including the Hotel Barclay Palace Theater and the Orpheum Theatre 18 19 The film was shot in nineteen days with a schedule of fourteen hours of filming per day 20 Chazelle was involved in a serious car accident in the third week of filming and was hospitalized with possible concussion but he returned to set the following day to wrap the shoot on time 20 Having taught himself to play drums at age fifteen Teller performed much of the drumming seen in the film Supporting actor and jazz drummer Nate Lang who plays Teller s rival Carl in the film trained Teller in the specifics of jazz drumming this included changing his grip from matched to traditional citation needed For certain scenes professional drummer Kyle Crane served as Teller s drum double 21 22 Music editMain article Whiplash soundtrack nbsp Composer Justin Hurwitz The soundtrack album was released on October 7 2014 via Varese Sarabande label 23 The soundtrack consists of 24 tracks divided in three different parts original jazz pieces written for the film original underscore parts written for the film and classic jazz standards written by Stan Getz Duke Ellington and other musicians The actual drummer was Bernie Dresel 24 On March 27 2020 an expanded deluxe edition was released on double CD and 2 LP gatefold sleeve vinyl with new cover art and featured original music by Justin Hurwitz plus bonus track and remixes by Timo Garcia Opiuo Murray A Lightburn and more 25 Reception editBox office edit In North America the film opened in a limited release on October 10 2014 in 6 theaters grossing 135 388 22 565 per theater and finishing 34th at the box office 2 It expanded to 88 locations then 419 locations 26 After three months on release it had earned 7 million and finally expanded nationwide to 1000 locations to capitalize on receiving five Academy Awards nominations 27 Whiplash grossed 13 1 million in the U S and Canada and 35 9 million in other territories for a worldwide total of 49 million against a budget of 3 3 million 2 Critical response edit nbsp Director Damien Chazelle at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival On the review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes the film scored 94 based on 307 reviews with an average rating of 8 6 10 The site s critical consensus states Intense inspiring and well acted Whiplash is a brilliant sophomore effort from director Damien Chazelle and a riveting vehicle for stars J K Simmons and Miles Teller 28 On Metacritic the film has a score of 89 out of 100 based on reviews from 49 critics indicating universal acclaim 29 Simmons received wide praise for his performance and won the 2015 Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor 30 31 Peter Debruge in his review for Variety said that the film demolishes the cliches of the musical prodigy genre investing the traditionally polite stages and rehearsal studios of a topnotch conservatory with all the psychological intensity of a battlefield or sports arena 32 Todd McCarthy of The Hollywood Reporter praised the performances of Teller and Simmons writing Teller who greatly impressed in last year s Sundance entry The Spectacular Now does so again in a performance that is more often simmering than volatile Simmons has the great good fortune for a character actor to have here found a co lead part he can really run with which is what he excitingly does with a man who is profane way out of bounds and like many a good villain utterly compelling 33 Whiplash also won the 87th Academy Award for Best Sound Mixing and the 87th Academy Award for Best Film Editing 34 Amber Wilkinson of The Daily Telegraph praised the direction and editing writing Chazelle s film has a sharp and gripping rhythm with shots beautifully edited by Tom Cross often cutting to the crash of Andrew s drums 35 James Rocchi of Indiewire gave a positive review and said Whiplash is full of bravado and swagger uncompromising where it needs to be informed by great performances and patient with both its characters and the things that matter to them 36 Henry Barnes of The Guardian gave the film a positive review calling it a rare film about music that professes its love for the music and its characters equally 34 Forrest Wickman of Slate said the film distorted jazz history and promoted a misleading idea of genius adding that In all likelihood Fletcher isn t making a Charlie Parker He s making the kind of musician that would throw a cymbal at him 37 In The New Yorker Richard Brody said Whiplash honors neither jazz nor cinema 38 Top ten lists edit The film appeared on many critics end of year lists Metacritic collected lists published by major film critics and publications and in their analysis recorded that Whiplash appeared on 57 lists and in 1st place on 5 of those lists Overall the film was ranked in 5th place for the year by Metacritic 39 1st William Bibbiani CraveOnline 1st Chris Nashawaty Entertainment Weekly 40 1st Erik Davis Movies com 2nd A A Dowd The A V Club 41 2nd Scott Feinberg The Hollywood Reporter 2nd Mara Reinstein Us Weekly 3rd Tasha Robinson The Dissolve 3rd Amy Taubin Artforum 3rd Steve Persall Tampa Bay Times 3rd Matt Singer ScreenCrush 3rd Rob Hunter Film School Rejects 4th Ignatiy Vishnevetsky The A V Club 41 4th Kyle Smith New York Post 4th Peter Hartlaub San Francisco Chronicle 4th Brian Miller Seattle Weekly 4th Michael Phillips Chicago Tribune 4th David Edelstein Vulture 5th Ty Burr The Boston Globe 5th Genevieve Koski The Dissolve 5th James Berardinelli Reelviews 5th David Ansen The Village Voice 42 5th Betsy Sharkey Los Angeles Times tied with Foxcatcher 6th Peter Travers Rolling Stone 6th Richard Roeper Chicago Sun Times 6th Joe Neumaier New York Daily News 7th Jesse Hassenger The A V Club 41 7th Rex Reed New York Observer 7th Noel Murray The Dissolve 7th Jocelyn Noveck Associated Press 7th Wesley Morris Grantland 7th Alison Willmore BuzzFeed 8th Keith Phipps The Dissolve 8th Mike Scott The Times Picayune 8th Rafer Guzman Newsday 8th Seth Malvin Romero A V Wire 8th Ben Kenigsberg The A V Club 41 8th Barbara Vancheri Pittsburgh Post Gazette 8th Kristopher Tapley Hitfix 8th Matthew Jacobs and Christopher Rosen Huffington Post 9th Nathan Rabin The Dissolve 10th Clayton Davis Awards Circuit 10th Owen Gleiberman BBC Top 10 listed alphabetically not ranked Claudia Puig USA Today Top 10 listed alphabetically not ranked Stephen Whitty The Star Ledger Accolades edit Main article List of accolades received by Whiplash The film received the top audience and grand jury awards in the U S dramatic competition at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival 43 Chazelle s short film of the same name took home the jury award in the U S fiction category one year prior 15 The film also took the grand prize and the audience award for its favorite film at the 40th Deauville American Film Festival 44 Whiplash was originally planned to compete for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay but on January 6 2015 the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences AMPAS announced that the film would instead be competing in the Adapted Screenplay category 45 to the surprise of many including Chazelle 46 due to the short film premiering at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival one year before the feature film s release even though the feature film s script was written first and the short was made to attract investors into producing the feature length film 14 Although the Writers Guild of America categorized the screenplay as original AMPAS classed it as an adaptation of the 2013 short version 46 At the 87th Academy Awards J K Simmons received the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance Tom Cross won the Academy Award for Best Film Editing and Craig Mann Ben Wilkins and Thomas Curley won the Academy Award for Best Sound Mixing In December 2015 the score received a Grammy nomination and the film was nominated for the NME Award for Best Film citation needed In 2020 it ranked 13 on Empire s list of The 100 Greatest Movies Of The 21st Century 47 In 2024 it topped the list of the Sundance Film Festival s Top 10 Films of All Time as the result of a survey conducted with 500 filmmakers and critics in honor of the festival s 40th anniversary 48 49 References edit Whiplash British Board of Film Classification August 5 2014 Archived from the original on November 13 2014 Retrieved November 12 2014 a b c d Whiplash 2014 Box Office Mojo Archived from the original on October 9 2015 Retrieved November 9 2015 a b Horn John January 16 2014 Sundance 2014 Sony grabs international rights to Whiplash Los Angeles Times Archived from the original on January 18 2014 Retrieved January 19 2014 Sundance Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions Nabs International Rights To Fest Opener Whiplash Deadline Hollywood January 16 2014 Retrieved January 29 2023 Cohen Sandy January 17 2014 Sundance Film Festival 2014 opens with the premiere of Whiplash Damien Chazelle s tale of a brutal drumming instructor and his protege The Oregonian Associated Press Archived from the original on July 20 2018 Retrieved January 18 2014 100 Greatest Movies of All Time The 10 Best Music Films of All Time According to IMDb Screen Rant February 8 2020 Shoard Catherine December 9 2014 The 10 best films of 2014 No 4 Whiplash The Guardian The 100 Greatest Movies Of The 21st Century Empire March 18 2020 Archived from the original on August 17 2021 Retrieved August 18 2023 Bergeson Samantha January 16 2024 Whiplash Named Top Sundance Film of All Time in Festival Poll of Over 500 Filmmakers and Critics IndieWire Retrieved January 26 2024 a b c Dowd A A October 15 2014 Whiplash maestro Damien Chazelle on drumming directing and J K Simmons The A V Club Archived from the original on January 3 2015 Retrieved December 30 2014 Hammond Pete August 30 2016 Damien Chazelle s La La Land An Ode To Musicals Romance amp L A Ready To Launch Venice And Oscar Season Deadline Hollywood Archived from the original on June 12 2018 Retrieved September 20 2016 Dowd A A September 21 2016 Two takes on Whiplash show that J K Simmons is scary in small doses too The A V Club Archived from the original on June 27 2018 Retrieved June 27 2018 a b Bahr Lindsey May 14 2013 Whiplash Sundance winning short of becoming full length feature Entertainment Weekly CNN Archived from the original on February 26 2014 Retrieved January 19 2014 a b 2013 Sundance Film Festival Announces Jury Awards in Short Filmmaking www sundance org January 23 2013 Archived from the original on January 24 2017 Retrieved January 21 2019 Fleming Mike Jr May 14 2013 Cannes Bold Blumhouse Right Of Way Strike Up Band For Feature Version Of Sundance Short Whiplash Deadline Hollywood Penske Media Corporation Archived from the original on February 23 2014 Retrieved January 19 2014 Fleming Mike Jr August 5 2013 The Spectacular Now s Miles Teller Gets Whiplash Deadline Hollywood Penske Media Corporation Archived from the original on February 15 2014 Retrieved January 19 2014 McNary Dave September 19 2013 Jake Gyllenhaal s Nightcrawler Gets California Incentive Exclusive Variety Penske Media Corporation Archived from the original on November 1 2013 Retrieved January 19 2014 Tuesday Sept 24 Filming Locations for The Heirs Undrafted Dumb amp Dumber To Focus Shelter amp more On Location Vacations September 24 2013 Archived from the original on January 9 2014 Retrieved January 19 2014 a b Making of Whiplash How a 20 Something Shot His Harrowing Script in Just 19 Days The Hollywood Reporter December 9 2014 Archived from the original on May 22 2020 Retrieved March 4 2015 Kyle Crane Bigger Achievements tapeop com Retrieved February 16 2023 Morgenstern Michael Keeping Time Kyle Crane on the Drums Documentary Short Drama retrieved February 16 2023 Whiplash Soundtrack Details filmmusicreporter com Archived from the original on May 23 2017 Retrieved April 10 2017 Van de Sande Kris February 5 2016 Talking animals with Zootopia s Creative Minds Endor Express Archived from the original on February 26 2020 Retrieved February 26 2020 Micucci Matt February 20 2020 Listen to a Bonus Track from New Expanded Whiplash Soundtrack Album JAZZIZ Magazine Archived from the original on June 22 2020 Retrieved June 19 2020 Ray Subers November 16 2014 Weekend Report Dumb Sequel Takes First Ahead of Big Hero 6 Interstellar Box Office Mojo Ray Subers January 22 2015 Forecast Bombs Away for Mortdecai Strange Magic Box Office Mojo Whiplash 2014 Rotten Tomatoes Fandango Media Archived from the original on October 13 2023 Retrieved October 13 2023 Whiplash Metacritic CBS Interactive Archived from the original on October 13 2023 Retrieved October 13 2023 Smith Nigel M October 15 2014 J K Simmons on His Whiplash Oscar Buzz and Abusing Miles Teller indieWire Archived from the original on October 18 2014 Retrieved October 15 2014 Riley Jenelle September 3 2014 J K Simmons on Playing a Real Villain in Whiplash Variety Archived from the original on September 5 2014 Retrieved September 3 2014 Sundance Film Review Whiplash Variety January 17 2014 Archived from the original on January 20 2014 Retrieved January 19 2014 Whiplash Sundance Review The Hollywood Reporter January 17 2014 Archived from the original on January 19 2014 Retrieved January 19 2014 a b Whiplash Sundance 2014 first look review The Guardian January 17 2014 Archived from the original on January 19 2014 Retrieved January 19 2014 Sundance 2014 Whiplash review The Telegraph January 18 2014 Archived from the original on January 19 2014 Retrieved January 19 2014 Sundance Review Whiplash Starring Miles Teller Leads With The Different Beat Of A Very Different Drum indieWire Archived from the original on February 19 2015 Retrieved January 19 2014 Wickman Forrest October 11 2014 What Whiplash Gets Wrong About Genius Work and the Charlie Parker Myth Slate Archived from the original on October 13 2014 Retrieved October 13 2014 Brody Richard October 13 2014 Getting Jazz Right in the Movies The New Yorker Archived from the original on April 20 2020 Retrieved February 5 2015 Dietz Jason December 6 2014 Best of 2014 Film Critic Top Ten Lists Metacritic Retrieved June 6 2021 Nashawaty Chris December 4 2014 10 Best 5 Worst Movies of 2014 Entertainment Weekly Archived from the original on March 28 2021 Retrieved March 28 2021 a b c d The best of film 2014 The ballots The A V Club December 18 2014 The 2014 Village Voice Film Critics Poll Archived from the original on December 10 2015 Retrieved August 26 2020 Zeitchik Steven Olsen Mark January 25 2014 Sundance 2014 winners Whiplash wins big Los Angeles Times Archived from the original on January 26 2014 Retrieved January 27 2014 Richford Rhonda September 13 2014 Whiplash Takes Top Prize in Deauville The Hollywood Reporter Archived from the original on September 14 2014 Retrieved September 13 2014 Tapley Kristopher January 6 2015 Oscar surprise Whiplash deemed an adapted screenplay by Academy HitFix Archived from the original on January 6 2015 Retrieved January 6 2015 a b Hammond Peter January 6 2015 Academy amp WGA At Odds Over Whiplash Screenplay Will It Hurt Oscar Chances Deadline Hollywood Archived from the original on June 12 2018 Retrieved December 28 2017 The 100 Greatest Movies of the 21st Century March 18 2020 Alliance of Women Directors Announces Inaugural Rising Director Fellowship Class Film News in Brief Variety January 16 2024 Retrieved February 26 2024 Bergeson Samantha January 16 2024 Whiplash Named Top Sundance Film of All Time in Festival Poll of Over 500 Filmmakers and Critics IndieWire Retrieved February 26 2024 External links edit nbsp Wikiquote has quotations related to Whiplash 2014 film Whiplash at IMDb nbsp Whiplash at Rotten Tomatoes Awards Preceded byFruitvale Station Sundance Grand Jury Prize U S Dramatic2014 Succeeded byMe and Earl and the Dying Girl Portals nbsp United States nbsp Film nbsp Jazz nbsp 2010s Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Whiplash 2014 film amp oldid 1220388266, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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