Whiplash (2014)

Directed by Damien Chazelle, Whiplash follows the story of Andrew (Miles Teller) as he attempts to bring to fruition his undying dream to become a famous drummer. After being accepted at a prestigious music conservatory he begins to learn of the vicious teaching methods of his instructor, Fletcher (played by J. K. Simmons), which leads him down a road of mental torment and anguish as he continues to chase his dream.
It's the performances of the two leads, Miles Teller and J. K. Simmons that make the film a marvel to watch. Simmons presents a character so hateful and vile, you immediately want to find yourself rooting for Teller's character. However, its through Teller's portrayal of an ambition driven introvert who severes all social ties, that youre left to simply watch the gradual depredation of his character.
Despite the performances there is always the potential for a dialogue heavy script to become dry and boring however with a well written screenplay that always continues to move the story along while offering an underlay of suspense, the film never loses your attention.
Winning an number of Academy Awards, this film is a masterpiece and a must see for anyone looking for a story that has all the suspense and anticipation of an action with none of the action.

Rating: 8.5/10

Whiplash (2014) - IMDb