Whiplash (2014), directed by Damien Chazelle

How far is too far when pushing for excellence? Whiplash poses the question but doesn’t really answer it. Aspiring jazz drummer Andrew has no friends and no family tradition of music but possesses a drive to be the best he can be. Initial success at Uni inspires him to ask out the girl he has had his eye on for a while; continued success makes him sabotage the relationship for fear it will interfere with his focus on future success. Miles Teller is compelling as Andrew and JK Simmons won an Oscar for his portrayal of the monster who won’t apologise for driving his students no matter the cost. It’s difficult to understand the dedication of the jazz drummer, because who actually cares and what are the rewards? This makes it even more difficult to understand why the students are so cowed before the monster tutor and the drummers in particular don’t shove a drumstick through his eyeball. The only possible parallels are with an Olympic athlete in an obscure sport who is driven to succeed regardless of the rewards or lack thereof. But you have to question the dedication to an empty cause and the validation of methods that border on torture – if that is really what it takes to achieve greatness – fuck it!