Written and directed by Damein Chazelle, the film stars Miles Teller and J.K. Simmons. Andrew Neiman (Teller) is a talented jazz drummer in his first year at Shaffer Conservatory in New York City, the most prestigious music school in the country. He is hand-picked by the fearsome and ruthless instructor Terence Fletcher (Simmons) to join the school's best jazz band. However, Fletcher's abusive teaching style soon sends Andrew into a tailspin of self-destruction that threatens to end his career aspirations - and possibly his life. In short, I found the film extraordinary. The directing is sharp, and the script is coherent, believable, devastating and hilarious, all at the same time. The editing, the work of Tom Cross, is particularly terrific, as the music scenes were expertly assembled to transform Teller, a former drummer, into a world-class musician. On that note, I thought that Teller was fantastic in his role, and should have garnered more attention this awards season. His portrayal of a determined teenager pushed to his limits was outstanding. In effect, there are so many reasons to see this film, but here is the biggest one: J.K. Simmons. He gives one of the absolute BEST performances I've seen in years as a sadistic jazz instructor who leaves his students on the brink of insanity. He switches between relatable and terrifying with such quickness and ease that it is truly breath-taking to watch. If there is anyone who not only deserves, but absolutely NEEDS to win this awards season, it's Simmons. I loved this film so much that I'm tempted to give it an A+. I won't yet - maybe with time I'll change my mind - but for now this amazing film stands as my favorite of 2014 so far.
Should you see it: Yes!
Grade: A
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