The film Whiplash

An artist’s struggle to develop and master their art is often laden with tribulation and

challenges, which lead to the achievement of their final goal. Upcoming artists and creatives

often have the motivation and guidance from more experienced contenders in the fields they

intend to thrive at. However, sometimes the approaches employed by the mentors do more harm

than good and could result in failed dreams. The film Whiplash, which premiered in 2014, takes

a viewer through the challenges that a young drummer Andrew, the main character, undergoes to

achieve his dream. Andrew Neiman, played by Miles Teller, is a first-year student at an elite

music conservatory in Manhattan who dreams of becoming a great jazz drummer like his role

model Buddy Rich (Chazelle, 2014).

Andrew gets an opportunity to play with the top ensemble in the New York Schaffer

Conservatory under the tutelage of an older, brilliant conductor named Terrence Fletcher.

However, Fletcher uses cruel, demeaning strategies to push his musicians to their most

significant potential (Massie, 2020). He humiliates bullies and intimidates the musicians through

physical and verbal abuse to force them to greatness, which he believes they should achieve.

Written and directed by Damien Chazelle, he equates the character to his former high school

principal who behavior aligns with Fletcher’s. The conductor’s opinions and intentions are

correct, but the portrayal of the same is quite distasteful. Fletcher partakes in nit-picking, name-

calling, and taunting , which Andrew picks up as motivation. The film mentions a student suicide

due to the pressure exerted on them while Andrew immerses himself into drumming to the point

where he inflicts self-harm.

Moreover, the main character dedicates himself to his craft, to the extent of cutting off

any social contact he had with other people. For instance, he breaks up with his girlfriend coldly

at a dinner date to focus solely on his skills. Throughout the entire film, Andrew and Fletcher are