It is hard to describe the feeling I had while watching this movie, but one thing I can say without a doubt was I was sucked in and absorbed by the movie the whole time. My heart was racing throughout the film and after it. I regret putting off watching it because it was a drama about music, this movie is much more than that and it's one of the best and most gripping films I have seen on the topic of obsession.
The movie's premise is basically about a passionate drummer, Andrew, who like many students at Shaffar wants to be in the class of the great Fletcher. Fletcher is a toxic man who believes teaching and creating prodigies requires pushing them beyond their limitations and chooses the most toxic methods possible. What happens to Andrew and his obsession and desire for Fletcher's approval makes the rest of the movie.
Honestly this movie was recommended to me as a motivational movie. I am concerned for those who recommended it to me as such as the movie is clearly not about motivating but rather showing how one's passion became their obsession. The movie sucks you into this drummer's life and shows how he is neglecting pain, love, and all other aspects of his life just for the approval of Fletcher. It shows that passion and dreams should have their limits, we should be pushed but even that has a limit. By the end of the movie we can see that Andrew is just obsessed and he is willing to do anything to make Fletcher proud.
I was shocked when the movie ended, it felt abrupt. But you can tell that the movie ends on a note where there is no positive ending for Andrew. As suggested by his father, Charlie Parker may be a great musician but he was dealing with mental health issues and committed suicide at a young age. The concept of greatness and the toxicity of pushing someone to such lengths in such a brutal fashion, comes with the price of their mental health. Andrew has definitely become a great musician who will be known widely, that is hinted by the ending. But we also know that he will spiral and be depressed due to his obsession with music. He commits to crossing the line of passion into obsession.
The final shot of his father said it all. Despite everything Fletcher did to Andrew, he still wanted to prove himself as a great musician and wanted his approval. He succeeded in doing so. The father clearly showed he finally saw his son's becoming a great musician, but quickly followed it with the knowledge of him not being his son anymore, him being lost and spiraling into this toxic realm.
Connections could be made to today's society where such level of pushing may be praised by certain people, but I am glad we are mostly past it. Yet there are many who go through such spirals and are pushed so hard or even push themselves and go past the point of passion to obsession. I hope this movie rings a bell for those and people who may have seen it as motivation can re-watch it upon learning the director's intentions.
The cinematography of this movie was brilliant, I think the gritty texture of the movie truly helped it. It really added to and enhanced some amazing performances by JK Simmons, as Fletcher, and Miles Teller, as Andrew.
I was quite surprised to be sucked into a movie about jazz to this degree and the movie keeps you at the edge of your seat and causes some form of anxiety at the end. Especially those final 10 minutes, I totally could feel my heart racing and thought I was going through some sort of anxiety.
Overall, this is one of the greatest movies I have seen and I urge every person to watch this movie as it will absorb you within seconds and give you one of the greatest cinematic experiences.
The movie's premise is basically about a passionate drummer, Andrew, who like many students at Shaffar wants to be in the class of the great Fletcher. Fletcher is a toxic man who believes teaching and creating prodigies requires pushing them beyond their limitations and chooses the most toxic methods possible. What happens to Andrew and his obsession and desire for Fletcher's approval makes the rest of the movie.
Honestly this movie was recommended to me as a motivational movie. I am concerned for those who recommended it to me as such as the movie is clearly not about motivating but rather showing how one's passion became their obsession. The movie sucks you into this drummer's life and shows how he is neglecting pain, love, and all other aspects of his life just for the approval of Fletcher. It shows that passion and dreams should have their limits, we should be pushed but even that has a limit. By the end of the movie we can see that Andrew is just obsessed and he is willing to do anything to make Fletcher proud.
I was shocked when the movie ended, it felt abrupt. But you can tell that the movie ends on a note where there is no positive ending for Andrew. As suggested by his father, Charlie Parker may be a great musician but he was dealing with mental health issues and committed suicide at a young age. The concept of greatness and the toxicity of pushing someone to such lengths in such a brutal fashion, comes with the price of their mental health. Andrew has definitely become a great musician who will be known widely, that is hinted by the ending. But we also know that he will spiral and be depressed due to his obsession with music. He commits to crossing the line of passion into obsession.
The final shot of his father said it all. Despite everything Fletcher did to Andrew, he still wanted to prove himself as a great musician and wanted his approval. He succeeded in doing so. The father clearly showed he finally saw his son's becoming a great musician, but quickly followed it with the knowledge of him not being his son anymore, him being lost and spiraling into this toxic realm.
Connections could be made to today's society where such level of pushing may be praised by certain people, but I am glad we are mostly past it. Yet there are many who go through such spirals and are pushed so hard or even push themselves and go past the point of passion to obsession. I hope this movie rings a bell for those and people who may have seen it as motivation can re-watch it upon learning the director's intentions.
The cinematography of this movie was brilliant, I think the gritty texture of the movie truly helped it. It really added to and enhanced some amazing performances by JK Simmons, as Fletcher, and Miles Teller, as Andrew.
I was quite surprised to be sucked into a movie about jazz to this degree and the movie keeps you at the edge of your seat and causes some form of anxiety at the end. Especially those final 10 minutes, I totally could feel my heart racing and thought I was going through some sort of anxiety.
Overall, this is one of the greatest movies I have seen and I urge every person to watch this movie as it will absorb you within seconds and give you one of the greatest cinematic experiences.