triptychd-blg3-blog

[triptychd-blg3-blog]

Movie Summary: Whiplash

“You got 10 minutes, you fucking pathetic pansy-ass fruit fuck.”

Andrew Neiman is a first year jazz student at Shaffer Conservatory in New York. He plays the drums and was asked by Terrence Fletcher, a jazz conductor, to fill in the empty position of a drummer for the band he’s conducting. He took the chance and was excited that he’s being recognized by the great conductor. But that changed when Terrence threw a chair at him, then proceeded to ask him if he was rushing or dragging. He stuttered an ‘I don’t know’ and received a hard slap from Terrence who then started to throw insults at him, like how he’s crying like a little girl and how pansy he is. But that didn’t stop him. He kept on practicing and didn’t mind even if his hands bleed. 

Andrew even managed to amaze Terrence after perfectly doing a jazz composition, and just when he starts to get confident, Terrence then replaces him with another former band member.

Halfway through the movie, Andrew meets Nicole at a movie theater and he asks her out. But they didn’t last long, because Andrew called it quits, telling Nicole that he that he wanted to be the best and how he wanted to focus on his drumming career more.

At one practice, Terrence shares to the band members that one of his students got into a car accident and died. Then they started to practice another jazz composition. And Ryan, another drummer fails to follow the right tempo, so he calls Andrew to do it instead, but he too fails, so another drummer is called to replace him, but no luck, even the last drummer wasn’t able to give Terrence the satisfaction hes looking for. Terrence tells them to keep practicing until they get the song right, until they finished practicing the next morning.

After that, Terrence informed them that they will be joining a jazz competition and tells them not to arrive late. And while Andrew is on this way to the venue of the competition, the vehicle he’s on breaks down, so he had no other choice but to rent for car. Unfortunately, he arrives late and even forgot his drumsticks where he rented a car, so he drives back to get it, and while on his way back to the venue, his car gets hit right exactly where he’s seating. But that didn’t stop him too, he still went on stage to perform even if he’s bleeding so much and badly injured. Sadly, he failed to play because he dropped his other drumstick, and wasn’t able to tap properly. Terrence tells the band to stop, then faces Andrew who was wincing and told him that he’s out of the band. Terrence started to apologize to the audience but was cut short when Andrew lunged at him.

After that horrific scene, Andrew was expelled from Shaffer. He lost his passion for drumming and looked for another job instead. Andrew then found out that the deceased student that Terrence told them about didn’t actually die from an accident; The student suffered from Depression and Anxiety after being Terrence’s student and killed himself, as disclosed by the lawyer who was helping the dead student’s parents. They convinced him to testify so Terrence wouldn’t have to teach again, so he did. Terrence got fired.

Long after that, Andrew met Terrence at a club and he called him over to have a drink. They talked and Terrence explained why he’s being hard on his students like that. And after their drinking session, Terrence invited Andrew to perform at a festival with his band, he takes the offer and even called Nicole to invite her to watch, but she then turned down the offer, telling him how she’s got a new boyfriend that time.

At the festival, Terrence told them that they should perform perfectly because the audience were those people who has the power to either give you a big break or destroy your career as a musician. So right when Andrew took a sit at the drum stool, Terrence told him how he knows that he had testified against him. Little did he know that Terrence was just getting started with his revenge to destroy his career.

Terrence leads the band with a piece/composition that Andrew didn’t know, he then found out that he wasn’t given a music sheet for the piece they’re about to play. He doesn’t have a choice, because there’s no way that he’d play a composition that he doesn’t know. Andrew leaves the stage humiliated, but then returns with a determined aura and started playing a certain piece perfectly, cutting off Terrence who was giving a speech. The band was confused but still joined in, and Terrence had no choice too, but to just lead the band. Andrew finishes off with a flawless drum solo, which earned him an approving look and nod from Terrence.

[triptychd-blg3-blog]

Guide Questions:

1. What life lessons can be learned from the movie?

- You shouldn’t give up immediately just because you’re having a hard time while you’re on your way to achieving your goal. Fall down but get up and show them how determined you are, despite all the hardships and judgmental opinions you’re getting.

2. What part of the story told by the movie was the most powerful? Why?

- The part where Andrew still went back onstage after being humiliated by Terrence, and he interrupted Terrence by starting a drum solo of a certain piece and ending it flawlessly, leaving Terrence shocked and amazed.

For me, this part is the most powerful part because it shows how brave and determined Andrew is, even though he was already humiliated in front of hundreds of audiences, he still went back on stage and started drumming. And in the end, he got Terrence’s approval.

3. Who was your favorite character in the movie? Why?

- My favorite character is Andrew, of course. We’re all like him, we all just wanted to be the greatest and would do anything just to be one. Andrew never gave up on himself and on his dreams and worked so hard. He showed great determination and it serves as a motivation for all of us.

4. Did anything that happened in the movie remind you of something that has occured in your own life or that you have seen occur to others?

- Yes

5. If you had a chance to ask a character in this movie a question what would it be?

- I’d ask Andrew if he ever had the thought of just giving up.