Film Reviews
The Maze Runner: A YA Movie Game-Changer
I
Whiplash
REVIEWED BY DAN HECHING
T
HERE is a simplicity, a
certain tightness, to the film
Whiplash that likens it to a
dynamic piece of music. Which
makes perfect sense, as this
searing double character portrait
focuses on a music prodigy and
the relentlessly demanding
teacher who almost breaks him.
Miles Teller, who has brought
forth consistently good work
since coming on the scene with
The Spectacular Now among
other projects, more than carries
Whiplash and proves himself as a
formidable lead.
As Andrew, Teller creates a
character we all know—someone
so wholly possessed with the
desire to be great at his craft
(drumming in this case), but
perhaps also dealing with some
residual self-esteem issues that
make it difficult for him to discern
22
when enough is enough. After
making it into the top class at the
most prestigious music school in
the country, he falls under the
precise tutelage—and vigilant
eye—of Professor Fletcher, played
to perfection by JK Simmons
(Juno, Spiderman).
As incredible a job as Miles does,
this film belongs to Simmons,
who is nothing short of incredible.
Similar to (and even scarier
than) Meryl Streep’s Miranda
Priestly in The Devil Wears
Prada, the audience gets a sense
of who this guy is even when
he’s not onscreen. The effect
of his performance is just as
overpowering as the performance
itself. Both actors, in the end, say
so much about what it means to
be consumed by creativity—the
good parts and the bad.
The few scenes Miles shares with
Glee’s Melissa Benoist are also
on par with the rest of the film;
Melissa shines as a down to earth
girl who is faced with Andrew’s
drive and passion for music and
how it might not leave enough
room for her. Miles uses these
scenes to further illustrate a
young adult who is struggling to
find a place at the top, even if it
means not taking care of himself.
Thanks to a smart script, clean
direction and some of the bes