Whiplash (2014)
2014 • TMDB 8.4 • 1h 47m • Drama, Music, Thriller
Overview
Nineteen-year-old Andrew Neiman is a first-year jazz drummer at the prestigious Shaffer Conservatory in New York, a young musician whose single-minded ambition is to become one of the greats. His path collides with Terence Fletcher, the school’s feared studio-band conductor, a man whose teaching methods run from withering insults to thrown chairs. Fletcher spots Andrew’s talent and pulls him into his elite ensemble, but the invitation comes at a price: rehearsals become psychological warfare, where tempo is everything and a single missed beat can end a career before it starts. As Andrew practices until his hands bleed and pushes away his family and his girlfriend, Damien Chazelle’s film asks how far the pursuit of greatness should go, and whether genius is forged by encouragement or by cruelty. Shot with propulsive editing and a thunderous jazz score, Whiplash builds to one of the most electrifying finales in modern cinema, a drum solo that doubles as a duel.
Director & Cast
- Director: Damien Chazelle
- Miles Teller as Andrew
- J.K. Simmons as Fletcher
- Paul Reiser as Jim
- Melissa Benoist as Nicole
- Austin Stowell as Ryan
- Nate Lang as Carl
- Chris Mulkey as Uncle Frank
- Damon Gupton as Mr. Kramer
- Suanne Spoke as Aunt Emma
Why Watch Whiplash?
Whiplash is a pressure-cooker drama that plays like a thriller, turning a music-school rehearsal room into a battleground. J.K. Simmons delivers an Oscar-winning performance as Fletcher, terrifying and magnetic in equal measure, while Miles Teller matches him beat for beat as the student who refuses to break. The jazz is genuinely thrilling, the editing is razor sharp, and the final ten minutes deliver a payoff that earns every bruised knuckle along the way. It is the rare film about art that makes you feel the cost of ambition in your chest.
Official Trailer
Watch the official trailer on YouTube: Whiplash | Official Trailer HD (2014)
Where to Watch
Whiplash is not currently streaming on a subscription service in the US. It is available to rent for $3.99 on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, and Fandango At Home (all in 4K), as well as Spectrum On Demand and Plex (HD), and to buy for $6.99 in 4K on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, and Fandango At Home. Check current availability on JustWatch US.
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Poster: TMDB. Rating and runtime verified on TMDB. Streaming status checked on JustWatch US, October 29, 2026.
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