The movie Whiplash offers a dramatic and exaggerated portrayal of an experience that many go through and gives an insightful perspective on how the characters really feel over the course of the movie. In the movie, Andrew Neiman is a dedicated young drummer at Shaffer Conservatory, one of the most prestigious music schools in the world. His instructor Terence Fletcher is known for being extremely harsh and demanding with his students. He’s aggressive, he screams at his students for little mistakes, he curses them out, you name it. That being said, his reputation goes both ways. He draws the best out of his students and therefore has one countless jazz competitions with his groups. 

Neimen initially is spotted out by Fletcher and comes on as an alternate in his band. He gets his opportunity to showcase his skills and seems to impress Fletcher at first. However, Fletcher pushes Neimen hard and it seems that the more Neimen improves, the more he is challenged, yelled at, and pushed. Neimenn doesn’t back down though as he is totally invested in being the best. The movie features an impactful scene where Neimen eventually gets himself into a car crash trying to retrieve his drumsticks before a competition and gets dropped from the band when he subsequently messes up. Fletcher is also dropped from Shaffer due to complaints about him as an instructor. Him and Neimen eventually reconnect later where Fletcher shares that his challenging of Neimen and harshness was because he knew how great Neimen was and that he wouldn’t give up no matter how hard he was pushed.

While, yes, it is exaggerated and dramatic like I said from the beginning, this movie has a meaningful and impactful message on top of being a great film. For starters, it inspires one to be the best. The movie shows just how far we can go when we truly push ourselves to the fullest of our abilities. It was a great message that I try to remember because in a lot of moments in life people give up far before they reach their limit or they never give full effort from the beginning and thus achieve mediocrity. This film  shows what it takes to be the best, but it also does show a limit. We see Neimen practically drive himself to insanity over his obsession for drumming and impressing Fletcher. While anyone can look at Neiman getting into a car crash and still focusing on getting to the show as utterly insane, it shows his dedication and is inspiring in a way for me to see that if he can go that far I can definitely push myself a little harder. 

Additionally, the movie shows an interesting perspective that is not always considered from the external pushing forces in our life. Most people have had someone in their life that is very harsh and intense that is constantly yelling to be better it seems. Maybe it’s a coach, a boss, or even a parent. The movie shows an important perspective that often these types of people are doing so out of belief or love. They see more potential in us than we even do in ourselves and that is why they are harsh and constantly push us. I think this is a good perspective to have. It makes you think if those people that we might feel hatred towards for their intensity, if we should instead be grateful.