It's been two years since I last did a "movies that move me" segment. Can you believe that? That being from a pre-pro screenwriter who writes spec. script, and fell in love with the movies a long time ago.
So why so few of these posts?
To be honest with you, very few movies "move me". The movie at the center of this post DIDN'T move me upon my first viewing of it, but last weekend I re-watched it, and enjoyed it farrr more than the first viewing.
"Whiplash" (2014) is a movie about one college drummer's quest to be one of the best. Miles Teller plays the main protagonist, Andrew; who wants to be a great drummer to he enrolls in an elite college with a renown music department, and a known demanding music professor played by J.K. Simmons, who actually won an Oscar for his performance of "Fletcher" in this movie. BUT it's not Fletcher that I want to focus on this post. It's more of Miles Teller's "Andrew" character.
Why?
It's the pursuit of perfection and what depths some people will go to achieve it. You see Andrew's pursuit of wanting to be great at something resonated with me. As a writer I want to be great. I really do. I wan't my material to speak for itself, and I work real hard in attempt to achieve that.
Much like "Black Swan" (2010: directed by Darren Aronofsky), "Whiplash" is a cautionary tale of the pursuit that can go awry. Now in "Black Swan" the awry comes in the form of the flawed protagonist's mental demons. Not so in "Whiplash". In "Whiplash" its desire to be the best and what you're willing to set aside to achieve that which takes center stage. And Miles Teller delivers! GREAT performance by him, showing the harrowing desire to be good and the loss he suffers along the way. Most notably in the form of a romance he puts the kabosh on so he can focus more on his drumming.
You wouldn't think a movie about a drummer would be worth a shit. But director Damien Chazelle does an OUTSTANDING job cutting back and forth between Andrew and mostly Fletcher artificially revving up the tension when Andrew is put through the ringer during the practice and performing sections.
Drumming is dull. Watching musicians practice is dull. YET, Damien Chazelle manages to pull a rabbit out of the hat and make a reasonably interesting movie of it.
What lengths would you go through to be great? What sacrifices would you be willing to make? Those are the deeper question asked in movies like "Whiplash" and "Black Swan". Place side by side I think "Black Swan" is the better movie. BUT "Whiplash" hits me deeper because in "Whiplash" you have a normal character, whereas in "Black Swan", Nina Sayers (Natalie Portman's character) clearly has some mental issues.
Anyway, I really liked Miles Teller's "Andrew" character. His desire resonated with me. Like Andrew I want to be considered good, though for me that in the from of creative writing not drumming.
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