Whiplash (2014)

It feels like I just watched a beautifully musical battle between a sinful ego, an overtly harsh judge, and the slim margin of error shifting in and out of Andrew’s (Miles Teller) reach. 

“There are no two words in the English language more harmful than ‘good job.’“
- Terence Fletcher (J.K. Simmons) 

The terrifying truth about that quote is that I agree. J.K. Simmons DID that! This movie reminded me of a coach (with a marine background) I had in high school. He became militant when we messed up the small day-to-day details or if we appeared not to be giving a workout our all; however, I'd argue that this criticism is more real for many of us internally. That’s what this movie explores: the millimeter-wide space between what is absolute success and what is not. After all, sin does mean to “miss the mark” (even by an atom). Was Fletcher being overly harsh for a somewhat subjective art form or did Andrew let his ego get the best of him? It’s interesting to hear the contradicting views leaving this tense film (particularly after watching it with others), but the answer is revealed with Andrew’s final decision.