 | In many ways not a film about drumming at all but rather a psychological study; this is a truly gripping, fascinating and hugely entertaining movie… |
Writer-Director Damien Chazelle has produce a really hard-hitting musical drama about a first-year student at a prestigious New York music academy, played by Miles Teller [Divergent] a man brimming with potential yet in need of direction. This comes in the form of legendary instructor Terence Fletcher, played by JK Simmons, a demonic taskmaster who will only accept the best. He is fiercely dedicated to the art and craft of jazz and is a great creation…
There are moments when you may well boo out loud at Fletcher’s wickedness; Simmons clear pleasure at playing such an atypical bad guy (a man who makes and breaks musicians) is wonderful to behold. The extreme close ups of his face only enhance the imposing nature of his character; most of the time he’s harsh and uncompromising but little hints of humanity sneak through now and again. His use of emotional and physical abuse to motivate his students into doing their best does seem to work. People are eager to play for him as he is considered the best at what he does but his methods are questionable at best.
Part of this films greatness is that is absolutely not a simple feel-good story but an honest and raw look at the process of an obsessional drive that helps to create art. This feels more like a boot camp from Rocky or Full Metal Jacket than Fame and was a huge success at Sundance and Cannes and then earned Simmons a well-deserved Academy Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role.
In many ways not a film about drumming at all but rather a psychological study; this is a truly gripping, fascinating and hugely entertaining movie…
There are moments when you may well boo out loud at Fletcher’s wickedness; Simmons clear pleasure at playing such an atypical bad guy (a man who makes and breaks musicians) is wonderful to behold. The extreme close ups of his face only enhance the imposing nature of his character; most of the time he’s harsh and uncompromising but little hints of humanity sneak through now and again. His use of emotional and physical abuse to motivate his students into doing their best does seem to work. People are eager to play for him as he is considered the best at what he does but his methods are questionable at best.
Part of this films greatness is that is absolutely not a simple feel-good story but an honest and raw look at the process of an obsessional drive that helps to create art. This feels more like a boot camp from Rocky or Full Metal Jacket than Fame and was a huge success at Sundance and Cannes and then earned Simmons a well-deserved Academy Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role.
In many ways not a film about drumming at all but rather a psychological study; this is a truly gripping, fascinating and hugely entertaining movie…