I got to say I was WOWed and I am not even a jazz fan but the performance and the intensity of the movie got to me through every single step of the way. I wanted to reach out and strangle Simmons for the most part of the movie for his EPIC performance, which IMHO should really snag that best supporting actor award this year..
Last but definitely not least Mr. Miles Teller, allow me to tip my hat for the 27 year old actor who throughout most of his performance I simply could not keep up with his hand speed while he was holding those drumsticks!!! Amazing!

However, his real epic-ness did not drive from his musical performance which do not get me wrong here was simply awesome.. It was from his struggle, you could feel his need, his thirst for getting what he wanted to boarder line obsession and self harm, that made me feel his character in every step of the way.. Really, BRAVO!

Whiplash received critical acclaim upon its première on the opening night of the 2014 Sundance Film Festival.

The film has a "certified fresh" score of 95% on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 234 reviews, with an average rating of 8.6 out of 10.

The critical consensus states, "Intense, inspiring, and well-acted, Whiplash is a brilliant sophomore effort from director Damien Chazelle and a riveting vehicle for stars J. K. Simmons and Miles Teller."

The film also has a score of 88 out of 100 on Metacritic based on 49 critics, indicating "critical acclaim"


Peter Debruge, in his review for Variety, said that the film "Demolishes the clichés of the musical-prodigy genre, investing the traditionally polite stages and rehearsal studios of a top-notch conservatory with all the psychological intensity of a battlefield or sports arena."