Whiplash

Damien Chazelle, 2014, USA, 107 mins, Certificate: 15

An ambitious and talented young drummer. A genius and ruthless mentor. A clash that will go beyond music, talent and aspirations. There WILL be blood!
Arguably the best film of 2014, this small independent american production, written and directed by newcomer Damien Chazelle, took the cinema world by storm, winning numerous awards, amongst them 3 Oscars for Editing, Sound Mixing and, of course, for the most powerful performance of recent years by J.K.Simmons (Best Actor in a Supporting Role). What reads like a 21st century version of “Karate Kid”, is an intense psychological thriller that will have you at the edge of your seats!

Reviews

★★★★★ “I suggest you take a defibrillator to Whiplash, since the chances of a heart attack or spontaneous combustion during viewing are high.” Kate Muir, www.thetimes.co.uk

“It’s a near flawless movie about the human condition and our drive for perfection: the obsession in question – jazz drumming – is unimportant. Thankfully, it just so happens that the soundtrack is tremendous, whether you enjoy jazz or merely tolerate it from the other side of walls.” Ali Gray, www.film4.com

“you’ll leave the cinema with a spring in your step and a thump in your chest, eager to bang the drum for what deserves to be one of the year’s real word-of-mouth hits.” Mark Kermode, www.theguardian.com

★★★★★ “Come the last beat, you’ll probably be exhausted. But you’ll also feel entertained, inspired and wonderfully alive. The ovation starts here.”Elliott Noble, www.sky.com