Why Whiplash is one of the best films of all time - Klevis

In my lifetime, I've only ever re-watched two films in the cinema. The first being Star Wars Episode VII...and Whiplash. I was actually a year late to see this film. Released January 2014 I only saw it in September 2015 at Prince Charles Cinema, twice.

I remember I stood up after the film feeling happy for Andrew (Miles Teller) because he got the happy ending he wanted over Fletcher (J.K Simmons), proving that hard work triumphs and all that general "goodness". However like Schrödinger's cat, the more I thought about it, I wasn't sure. 

If we first look at the ending;

Whilst in plain sight it looks like a victory for Andrew because he got that classic sports film victory over his tormenting tutor, in my opinion the ending is less about anyone scoring a victory but just showing how Andrew has transformed as a musician.

At the beginning of the film, we see that Andrew is an extremely passionate jazz fanatic. From one he's made it into one of the best music colleges in America, his room is decorated in jazz posters, the famous scene of him crying watching a video of himself playing the drums along with the idea that he's a very shy and socially awkward person because he doesn't believe that he can relate to anyone because he only has one passion/hobby which is jazz. Evidence of the final point is when he first goes out with Nicole or that awkward dinner with this father and extended family. Andrew does however find a compadre in Fletcher, a music veteran who runs the most prestigious band Schaefer. Fletcher sees potential in Andrew and pushes him to his absolute limit, causing him to break up with his girlfriend, lose him temper more and isolating himself only with the idea of self improvement.

Throughout the film Andrew is changing constantly and morphing into someone soon loses his passion for music and instead becomes obsessed with Fletcher's opinion because he's taught to believe that his opinion is the only one that matters.

Andrew in the film is essentially a war hero, he achieves a admirable status through pain and hardship but it comes with straining side effects like PTSD and whiplash. (No pun intended.)