This does not make his methods right, but it does show that he is determined to help his students by any means possible. This paints him as someone who knows that the world, and specifically the art world, is unkind to complacency and that he must push his students to do their absolute best in order to achieve the career they want -even to the point of near destruction. He cites his philosophy that “there are no two words in the English language more harmful than ‘good job’” as his reason for pushing those under his tutelage so hard. The scene with Andrew and Fletcher at the bar, set months after the two of them have reached their boiling point as abuser and victim, grants insight into why Fletcher knowingly makes himself a monster to his students. Simmons’ commanding and ruthless demeanor shakes the spirits and draws literal blood from his students. His overbearing presence and near-psychotic pursuit of technical musical proficiency are felt in every scene of the film, as Andrew and his fellow musicians’ lives are contorted to meet the expectations of their manic maestro.

An overly demanding perfectionist and outright emotional abuser, Fletcher curses out his students, threatens them with violence, and even drives one of his former proteges to suicide. Our protagonist, the young Andrew Neiman ( Miles Teller) finds himself at the center of Fletcher's attention as an aspiring concert drummer.

Simmons' Oscar-winning performance as Terence Fletcher, the overzealous music conductor of the studio jazz band at the prestigious Shaffer Conservatory. The American Film Institute included the film in their list of top ten films of the year.Much like any slasher film or Alfred Hitchcock thriller, Whiplash's overlaying sense of dread is rooted in the tension and fear surrounding a personified singular threat. Simmons also received awards in the 'Best Supporting Actor' category at the 72nd Golden Globe Awards, 21st Screen Actors Guild Awards, and the 20th Critics' Choice Awards. Whiplash garnered five nominations at the British Academy Film Awards with Simmons winning for Best Supporting Actor, Cross for Best Editing, and the BAFTA Award for Best Sound. At the 87th Academy Awards, the film received five nominations with Simmons winning for Best Supporting Actor, Cross for Best Film Editing, and the Academy Award for Best Sound Mixing. Whiplash garnered awards and nominations in a variety of categories with particular praise for Chazelle's screenplay and direction, Teller and Simmons' performance, and Tom Cross' editing. Rotten Tomatoes, a review aggregator, surveyed 290 reviews and judged 93% to be positive. The film grossed more than $48 million at the worldwide box office on a production budget of $3.3 million. Sony Picture Classics provided a limited release in United States and Canada on October 10, 2014. The film premiered at the opening night of the 2014 Sundance Film Festival on January 16, 2014, where it went on to win the Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award for Dramatic Feature. Paul Reiser, Melissa Benoist, and Austin Stowell feature in supporting roles. The film stars Miles Teller as an ambitious jazz drummer selected to join a school studio band taught by a cruel music instructor played by J. The screenplay, also written by Chazelle, was partly based on his experiences in the Princeton High School Studio Band. Whiplash is a 2014 American drama film directed by Damien Chazelle. Santa Barbara International Film Festival Simmons received many awards and nominations for his performance in the film including the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.Īfrican-American Film Critics Associationĭallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association List of accolades received by Whiplash J.

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