Whiplash is a blast, a pressure cooker film, focused--drums, family, a girl, but really just drums.
I've touched on it in the past, but today I was thinking about the story structure in a simple sense. I love how this film breaks down. Damien Chazelle crushes here as writer and director. Tom Cross crushes on editing. The whole team delivers.
The structure seems pretty clean if we keep our eye on our core question and core goal of if we can deliver as a drummer at the top top top levels, under any and all pressure that may come with that.
Act 1 sets up Andrew's focus, his goal, his skill set. We have already made it into a great music school, and we are already committed to the craft--this is set from the opening frame, or snare hit. So we focus on our journey. Can we get to the top ensemble? Yes. But Act 1 pushes us into Act 2 as we realize just what Fletcher really is. Face slaps and more. We are in it.
Act 2 runs us through making the top ensemble core, conflict with the family, breaking up with Nicole and the drum off. Once we are through this line of action there is no turning back. We have cut ties with everything except the goal. Midpoint.
The second half of Act 2 runs us into the ground, literally. We fall apart, lose our core spot, lose our place in the music school, and glimpse what life could be life for Andrew at the end of the story. We no longer have our focus on drumming. We have reconnected with our father. We have seemingly answered our core question: no, we can't be a top level drummer. Then we run into Fletcher at the jazz bar. We connect. We set up Act 3 and glimpse some life still in our core question. Could our dreams be alive? Does Andrew take on this offer?
Act 3 shows us that he does take this offer, and we get one of the best character vs. character showdowns I've ever seen.
Be well. http://www.LionSuit.com (words and image are original)