“I want to be one of the greats,” declares Miles Teller, as he plays Andrew, the protagonist drum whisperer in the 2014 drama Whiplash, directed and written by Damien Chazelle. Whiplash explores the intense, exclusive world of jazz, talent, and sacrifice, engulfing its viewers in the melodies of deep string instruments and intense closeups of pianos, trumpets, and Andrew’s drumset. Chazelle attempts to define the line between a talented musician and a legend while highlighting the intense pressure that artists are put through and the sacrifices they must make for their disciplines. Chazelle utilizes intense jazz background music, cool tones, and contrast in characters between Andrew and his band conductor, Fletcher, in order to display how a legend is not born, but formed and manipulated, once they are pushed far beyond the limits of their natural existence.
Whiplash follows Andrew through his first year at the Shaffer Conservatory of Music and depicts his efforts to become the core drummer in the Studio Band, which is considered the best jazz band in the country, led by Fletcher, the abusive dictator of jazz. Fletcher shows an interest in Andrew as he comes across him practicing his double time swing in the first scene. Fletcher repeatedly verbally and physically abuses Andrew, ordering him to recognize whether he rushes or drags when playing the drums. The iconic quote in the movie, “There are no two words in the English language more hurtful than ‘good job,’” symbolizes Fletcher’s belief as a mentor that legends are created through persistency and discomfort in practice. This ideology drives Andrew to the edge, forcing him to dedicate all his time towards practicing beats and disfiguring his hands with blisters and cuts.
Chazelle contrasts Andrew and Fletcher outside of their natural elements in the jazz band. While Andrew is unable to empathize with normal people in his life like his girlfriend, Nicole, who is undeclared at a college that she attended because it was the only one that accepted her, Fletcher can adapt to normal situations. One scene highlights Fletcher as, “the nurturing teacher,” when he encourages a five year old girl to practice the piano and reach out to him in the future and join his band. While Andrew is engulfed in refining his skill and reaching Fletcher’s expectations, Fletcher is a jack of all trades. Though he is the epitome of tough love with his band, he can still relate to and comfort people outside of his realm of practice.
Chazelle’s use of cool tones and intense jazz background music allows him to develop tension and suspense in Andrew’s life and his endeavors in the Studio Band with Fletcher. When Andrew initially auditions for the Studio Band, Andrew plays the song, “Whiplash,” amongst a cool toned color scheme, reminding the viewer of a hospital setting. It is as if Andrew is a patient and Fletcher is a doctor, examining Andrew for his inabilities and lack of skill. In the scene where Andrew forgets his drumsticks and must get on stage at the Nassau County Jazz Rehearsal by 5:00, Andrew’s drive to the theatre hall is amongst the background music of intense jazz music. Once Andrew reaches an intersection, the scene becomes silent and the focus is shifted to the truck about to hit Andrew. Proceeding the silence is the loud shattering of glass and continuation of intense jazz music. Chazelle’s manipulation of pacing of music and volume creates tension and depicts how Andrew’s life is a seesaw of emotion, acceptance, and stress.
