Ben Oliver

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Whiplash

There are no two words in the English language more harmful than “good job”
04 February 2023

A teacher at a music conservatory (J.K. Simmons) pushes a young drummer (Miles Teller) to the edge of his limits.

A notable entry in the list of ‘films I probably should get around to some day’ and it very much lives up to the hype. It’s a frenetic, anxiety ridden character study that sucks you into its world and refuses to let you go.

The film’s focus on its subject grows sharper and sharper as the film goes on, and it all builds to one of the greatest denouements I think I’ve ever seen. It’s a creative and meticulous piece of direction that provides the perfect pay off to a pressure-cooker of a film.