Whiplash review: It's enthralling from the first frame to the final curtain

In a star-making in Whiplash, Miles Teller, who played in a rock band as a teenager, did most of the drumming himself. Attired in black, shaved bald and clenching his fists in a gesture which sends shivers down the spine, JK Simmons is astonishing.

Film: Whiplash
Direction: Damien Chazelle
Actors: Miles Teller, J.K. Simmons
Rating: 4.5/5

Whiplash-First-big-venture-of-director-Damien-Chazelle-It-tells-the-story-of-a-young-music-enthusiast-who-joins-an-extremely-competitive-music-conservatory-and-is-mentored-by-a-brutal-instructor

Expanding his own 2013 short film of the same name, writer-director Damien Chazelle’s second feature (his debut, Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench, was overlooked by the local distributors) is a blistering drama set in the competitive world of a music conservatory.

Focusing almost entirely on the explosive relationship between a first-year student (Teller) and his manipulative mentor (Simmons), Whiplash features a dazzling display of jazz drumming.

In a star-making turn Miles Teller, who played in a rock band as a teenager, did most of the drumming himself. Attired in black, shaved bald and clenching his fists in a gesture which sends shivers down the spine, JK Simmons is astonishing.

Over the weekend, he will likely add a Best Supporting Actor Oscar to his collection of award trophies. Whiplash is enthralling from the first frames to the final curtain. So go ahead, have a treat.