Just this past weekend, I was lucky enough to interview Justin Paul Kelly at the eleventh edition of CAPE – or the Cornwall and Area Pop Event. For those of you who have young kids at home, you’ll immediately know his cadence, for Justin was the voice of Paw Patrol’s Chase from 2018-2023 – encompassing an impressive 129 episodes, as well as voicing the role in several tv movies (including Paw Patrol: Jet to the Rescue and Paw Patrol: Super Rescue). As for something more related to adult viewing, Justin had a ten episode arc as Harlan on season two of the Netflix superhero series The Umbrella Academy (2019-2024).
Justin Paul Kelly in the Netflix series The Umbrella Academy
When things turned to my favourite question, ‘what is your favourite movie?’, he immediately highlighted the Damien Chazelle 2014 psychological drumming drama Whiplash. Pointing out its striking cinematography, the impressive way in which it was shot/edited, its superlative acting – focusing on Miles Teller and J.K. Simmons – saying that both actors played to their roles so well. . . Justin was so utterly impressed by its entire package. Lastly, he had to wrap the conversation by talking about the film’s concluding sequence. . . calling it a ‘masterclass’ of an ending.
Whiplash, the story of a talented drummer who is pushed to the edge by a more than intense, militarist-style instructor, took the world by storm in 2014-2015 and has continuously gained steam ever since. The simple yet effective tale that consists of a battle of the wills helped the film earn three Academy Awards, including Best Supporting Actor for J.K. Simmons, as well as Best Achievement in Film Editing and Sound Mixing. Whiplash has also landed at number 41 on IMDb’s top 250 films list.
So, what is it that draws people to this movie that focuses on a teenage jazz drummer’s journey? It is not exactly what someone would call a bankable blockbuster movie, yet over the past decade plus, the story has reached and touched audiences – and left people discussing it long after the final credits have rolled.
The plot follows Andrew (Miles Teller – Top Gun: Maverick), a first year student at the highly regarded Shaffer Conservatory in New York City. Everyone, including Andrew, hopes to be chosen as part of the studio band led by the rude, slanderous, but highly influential Fletcher (J.K. Simmons – La La Land). After a lackluster first meeting, Andrew finally gets his chance to be the alternative for core drummer Carl Tanner (Nate Lang).
When, by happenstance, Tanner loses his sheet music and panics before an important live performance, Andrew, who has been one of Fletcher’s favourite whipping boys for the last little while steps in, as he has memorized ‘Whiplash’ – a speedy, complicated jazz tune.
This catapults him to the lead drumming position, though Fletcher quickly brings in a third alternate from Andrew’s past to further complicate the youth’s dreams of becoming a future jazz great like Charlie Parker or Buddy Rich. To try to maintain his tenuous grip on the position, Andrew (with harsh motivation from Fletcher) seeps copious amounts of blood, sweat and tears to stay ahead of the two highly motivated musicians – as they move on to the challenging song ‘Caravan’. Yet, Fletcher’s impossible standards and anxiety-provoking attitude eventually pushes Andrew down a reckless path (after several unlucky happenings) – causing him to get into a serious car accident as he tries to make it to an important show on time (so that he does not lose his coveted position).
After a serious altercation between the two, Andrew is expelled and Fletcher is fired for his vile actions toward his students. The once driven teen disassembles his kit, storing the drums in his closet, instead getting a dead end job while looking for a new educational path. While walking the streets of New York one night, he stumbles upon a jazz club where his former brutal mentor is playing piano with a group. Though he first tries to dodge the gaze of the man, their eyes soon meet and the two share a drink. What follows will most likely be the cause of much of the discussion surrounding Whiplash. In a rather frank way, Fletcher explains to his former student that his intense method was meant to push his talented class towards greatness – with him claiming that, “there are no two words in the English language more harmful than ‘good job’”. He uses a grandiose story of drummer Jo Jones almost decapitating Charlie Parker with a cymbal (which led him down an intense path of training which elevated him to icon status) as a case for his actions.
The conclusion of the conversation leads Fletcher to offer Andrew a drumming position as part of a band that he is conducting in an upcoming jazz festival (possibly re-opening the door to his drifting dream). Will Andrew be able to elevate to the next level and impress his mentor as well as the influential audience? The final twenty minutes unfolds in an amazing manner, leaving us at the intense peak (or climax) of the film (forcing us to decide where the denouement would go).
So, back to the likely discussion that could or would follow this movie. Is the path we are taking with children in music, sports, or the like – where everyone is included, receives a ribbon and is told ‘good job’ – right or wrong? Is giving positive reinforcement to children helpful or is it limiting their drive and excellence by creating a sense that everything they are doing is great (when it is merely average to mediocre)? Do the ends justify the means? What does it take to truly achieve the excellence aimed for in Whiplash? These are just a few of the numerous questions that will likely come up after watching this rivetting film.
On top of these intriguing questions, the film also succeeds at creating an adrenaline fuelled ride that is driven by the tête-à-tête between the two strong-willed leads. Teller, who played much of what is seen on the screen, is absolutely superb. He is able to capture the drive, as well as the painful realizations of a tortured young student under the thumb of a sadistic mentor. And then there is J.K. Simmons, whose utterly harsh performance, which consists of him spewing everything from homophobic slurs to numerous expletives, is more than intense. He is thoroughly believable and truly captures the essence of the mind-game playing prof. Though the two drive the film to its intense climax, other smaller roles from Paul Reiser (as Andrew’s dad Jim) and Melissa Benoist (as Andrew’s girlfriend Nicole) also add nuanced touches to the story.
Whiplash miraculously leaves its audience feeling as though they had experienced what the title itself is describing. Its sharp editing, superb acting, and simple yet effective story places us on an intense adrenaline ride that dissipates long after the film has come to a close. So, visit (or revisit) Justin’s star pick by joining this ‘caravan’ – it will most definitely leave you ensnared.