As a film enthusiast with a knack for dissecting stories and their underlying themes, I must say that “Whiplash” has left me utterly captivated. This movie takes the age-old teacher-student dynamic and flips it on its head, creating an intense, emotional rollercoaster ride.
Over the past year, Damien Chazelle’s film Whiplash has attracted a fresh wave of viewers on Netflix. This makes revisiting its gripping finale an ideal way to honor the movie’s 10th anniversary. The plot revolves around Andrew Neiman (played by Miles Teller), an ambitious jazz drummer, and his tumultuous bond with Terence Fletcher (portrayed by J.K. Simmons), a challenging and harsh instructor.
In 2015, Whiplash garnered three Academy Awards, which included honors for Best Editing and Sound Mixing. J.K. Simmons also won an Oscar for his exceptional performance as a supporting actor. As Damien Chazelle seeks to regain industry favor after the disappointing release of Babylon, the narrative arc of Andrew in Whiplash serves as a reminder of the director’s promising cinematic journey, hinting at more great works yet to come.
Andrew and Fletcher Engage in Serious Mind Games
According to a 2013 short film by Damien Chazelle titled Whiplash, this American movie delves into the career ambitions of Andrew Neiman, a jazz drumming student at the elite Shaffer Conservatory located in New York. Inspired by legendary drummer Buddy Rich, Andrew gets selected to take over from Carl Tanner (Nate Lang) as the drummer for the Conservatory’s Studio Band.
Even though he finally achieves what he’s strived for throughout his life, Andrew finds himself under the tutelage of the relentlessly tough teacher, Terence Fletcher (Simmons), who sometimes oversteps boundaries to drive Andrew to the peak of his abilities. The deeper Andrew delves into his studies, the more consumed he becomes with memorizing the pieces “Whiplash” and “Caravan” at Fletcher’s request.
At the conservatory, Andrew is locked in an intellectual duel with Terence. Terence’s unconventional tactics involve tossing items, striking him, shouting commands, and spewing harsh words.
Fletcher’s harsh behavior towards Andrew impacts his personal life, leading him into conflicts with his family and ending his relationship. Instead of giving him the main drumming role as promised, Fletcher manipulates Andrew by offering it to him and then taking it away, giving it instead to Ryan Connolly. This fuels Andrew’s ambition in a destructive manner, causing chaos as he strives to reclaim the core drumming position.
Whiplash’s Ending, Explained
Following a rigorous rehearsal schedule, I found myself back at the heart of the drumming lineup with the Studio Band, ready to rock the stage live. Unfortunately, my bus conked out on the way to the gig. In a desperate bid to make it on time, I hastily secured a rental car and sped towards the venue. However, just as I was about to reach my destination, an oncoming vehicle collided with me, leaving me bleeding but unyielding in spirit. Despite the bizarre turn of events, I pushed through and hurried to the concert hall, determined to perform as if nothing out of the ordinary had transpired.
In a high-stress situation, when Andrew messed up playing “Caravan” live before a distinguished audience, Fletcher interrupted the performance, publicly reprimanded Andrew, and sent him off. Frustrated by the constant physical and emotional mistreatment, Andrew confronts Fletcher on stage in front of both the class and the live audience, leading to a struggle that ends with them both falling to the floor. As the movie approaches its final act, Andrew is expelled from the conservatory and is forced to reconsider his life decisions.
After being kicked out of Shaffer, Jim (Paul Reiser), Andrew’s father, advises him to pursue a legal course. Once they engaged attorneys, the Niemans discovered that Fletcher had mercilessly tormented another student named Sean Casey to the point where the student took his own life. Using this incriminating evidence, coupled with Andrew’s anonymous testimony, they successfully worked towards expelling Fletcher from Shaffer permanently.
Despite Andrew’s efforts to get Fletcher out of his position of power, the future of his music career remains uncertain as the final act of ‘Whiplash’ comes to a close.
Who Comes Out on Top At the End of ‘Whiplash’?
After Andrew’s disappointing live show and Fletcher being dismissed from Shaffer, it seems like both the protagonist and the antagonist in Whiplash are losing. Yet, several months later, Andrew unexpectedly runs into Fletcher at a nightclub. Here, Andrew discovers that Fletcher, who was previously known for his stern and demanding teaching style as Shaffer’s instructor, is quite different when playing piano in the club. Over a drink together, Fletcher admits that his tough methods were intentionally used to bring out the best in his students.
Fletcher encourages Andrew to join his band for a performance at the New York Jazz Festival following a tale about jazz icon Charlie Parker’s resilience amidst physical hardships. Excited by the prospect of playing familiar pieces like “Whiplash” and “Caravan,” which he had learned from Shaffer, Andrew accepts. This moment seems to bring Andrew a sense of atonement as he reconciles with his abusive mentor on stage. However, another turn in the story underscores their intricate relationship.
At the jazz festival, Fletcher reveals to Andrew that he’s aware Andrew testified anonymously against him in court, which led to Fletcher being kicked out of Shaffer. As retaliation, during his live performance, Fletcher chooses a piece of music unfamiliar to Andrew. Caught off guard and struggling to adapt, Andrew falters on stage, feeling humiliated. Just moments after his father comforts him, Andrew reappears on stage, grabs the drum kit, and takes charge of the band, playing “Caravan” live.
In the climactic scene of the renowned Miles Teller film, the band completes their rendition of “Caravan” as planned. However, instead of following the script, Andrew bursts into an impromptu drum solo. Instead of being angry that Andrew took over the performance, Fletcher appreciates the genius of Andrew’s spontaneous creation and gives a nod of approval.
In summary, even though it’s challenging to declare Andrew as the clear winner, the movie Whiplash ends with the student surpassing the teacher by adhering to his principles, enduring the hardships, and showcasing his artistic abilities with unbridled spontaneity. He might not have retained the primary drumming position at Shaffer, but Andrew preserved his honor and morality while achieving a musically inspiring breakthrough.
Whiplash is available to stream on Netflix.
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2024-12-11 02:32