In a 2014 interview with Whiplash's director Damian Chazelle, he chose to use the following phrasing to describe the protagonist and antagonist of his Oscar award-winning film; "In a weird way, this movie is a love story between these two people. It's a very twisted, sick love story but it does operate in that way in a sense. It hinges on their relationship and the ups and downs of that relationship. So you had to have a duo that you wanted to watch and see together, and the movie had to hum when they were together."
One thing I can say without a doubt is that the relationship I see on-screen every time I watch Whiplash is electric. It is so possible to see the power within these two characters, almost literally, and the ensuing struggle for that power as Andrew Neiman becomes more confident and one with himself. With that growing credence comes Terence Fletcher's glib attitude. He needs to keep Andrew in his place in a way that will push but not hinder him, and in the same vein, he needs to be the most difficult barrier Andrew will ever face. If he can overcome each challenge set by his music teacher, he can do anything. And Fletcher really believes that.
From the very first moment Andrew and Fletcher interact with one another, there is chemistry. Mutual fascination is coursing through their veins and visible from outside their tough, Mythril-like skin. I genuinely can't tell whether it's due to the talented actors, (big up Miles Teller and J. K. Simmons), or if the characters are just that well developed so early on. Andrew is fearful of this man, with his short fuse and his monolithic reputation. He knows exactly who the conductor is, and has probably heard bits and pieces of gossip around Shaffer Conservatory from Fletcher's terror-stricken students. But upon their first meeting, Andrew can't confirm whether or not any of it is true or exaggerated. What can be observed, however, is Andrew's immediate need to please and Fletcher's dominance in response to that. Their roles within the relationship are established as soon as the film opens.
As the film begins to open up to its audience and allow us in, we see more of the world surrounding these two people. A bustling music school housing some of the most talented artists in the country. So begs the question, out of everyone Fletcher could choose and despite his already thriving, high-level studio band, why bother with a freshman like Andrew Neiman? Why disrupt his band? Why make moves to replace his already talented and capable core drummer Carl Tanner? Why tip that balance? Of course, the answer is simple. It's Fletcher's way of exacting control over the people that respect him the most. What more frightening and embarrassing to an aspiring musician than to be kicked out of the most successful band in the entire conservatory? The students know for a fact that no one is safe, and through that knowledge, they will work harder and play better than even they thought possible. That is Fletcher's goal. To push people beyond what is expected of them.
We know for a fact that the music teacher is doing his job correctly, or at least what he thinks his job should entail, because his presence demands the attention of the room. With one wave of his hand or clench of his fist, the band stops. Silence. And then a long, disappointed sigh. He goes through the rigmarole of terrorizing his band members via the accusation of one of his players being out of tune. A trombone player, Metz, is intimidated, humiliated and then let go of the band. Once he leaves the room, Fletcher smiles and informs the rest of the band that Metz wasn't out of tune, but he didn't know and in Fletcher's eyes that was worse. Any other teacher would've sought the out-of-tune player to offer assistance, and it's details like this that clearly outline what the movie wants us to see in its characters. This particularly shows Fletcher's lack of patience. There's no room for mistakes in his studio band.
In the following sequence, Andrew falls victim to Fletcher's wrath and is made a laughing stock. He messes up the set and the teacher makes sure everyone knows, as he did with Metz. This shows the audience that there are no shortcuts, no matter who you are. Even if the teacher has some kind of piqued interest or sees some potential in a player, it doesn't mean they will get off easy. Mentally torturing Andrew like this even though it's his first day allows the audience to see that the conductor is consistent in his demeanour and willingness to punish, and to push until breaking point. This continues throughout until Andrew gets into a car accident and has a mental breakdown, rugby tackling Fletcher. They are both kicked from Shaffer and part ways until the closing scenes.
The power that Fletcher holds over Andrew forces him to change in quick succession. The nineteen-year-old goes from regular movie nights with his dad and pining for a pretty small-town girl to spending all his time alone in the practice room honing his craft. He becomes a machine without even really taking a moment to think about what it was doing to him or the people in his life. In a way, this shows us how weak of character Andrew Neiman really is due to how willing he is to throw his personal life away. But it also demonstrates the sheer drive he possesses when it comes to getting what he wants. This tells us a lot about him in a really clever, contrasting way.
I think for Terence Fletcher, the end goal was to find somebody who was pliable enough that he could knead and mould them into greatness, whether they realised and appreciated his efforts or not - If you can call hurling chairs and verbal abuse at his students 'efforts'. He wanted his very own Charlie Parker and he found that in Andrew Neiman. In the final arc of Whiplash, we find that Andrew has become nothing more than a shell capable of showcasing his earned talent on command. This is especially apparent in the closing shots of the film. Unfortunately, with that in mind, as Andrew dons all black for the final show we can see he's lost any trace of humanity that was left. Any want for a nice life and a pretty girlfriend is maliciously beaten down and the desperation for Fletcher's approval and validation, as well as the need to be remembered as, "one of the greats," is raging within him. He is proud but exhausted, and every bit of it is down to his tyrannical music teacher.
Signed,
Elijah.
Meta Sentience.
05/2019
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