Alright Gang, Time for a Roller Coaster of Emotions.
Andrew is an aspiring drummer, hoping to become one of the greats. He’s attending Shaffer, one of the best Music Conservatories in the country. When he encounters Fletcher, the director of the top Jazz ensemble in the school, his journey turns into an arduous one. In addition to impressing his family, and pursuing a romantic relationship, impressing Fletcher is just another obstacle on his way to the top.
***Warning: Spoilers***
Following Andrew’s life during the events of the movie was definitely exciting. He went from an awkward guy, to an assertive one. Andrew may have become more assertive but he still manages to retain his original qualities. Fletcher definitely caused this change in character for him.
Fletcher was a complex character that I still have yet crack the code on, which is why I liked him a lot. He starts off as a stonewall of a demon director and present us with a few moments with his guard down. Although we do see a softer side of him, he follows it up with the demon almost right away.
The Climax was a crazy one. Well there are actually two in this film, which sets this apart from other movies. When we thought we were reaching a resolution between the characters, the plot thickens. Although this is a spoiler section, the developments in the last act of the movie are best kept a surprise for anyone who hasn’t seen it yet.
When it comes to Musicals/Music Movies, it is always a great undertaking to create that suspension of disbelief, especially if the actor isn’t adept to the skill involved. I’m still unsure of how much drumming the actors actually did, but as a musician myself, most of it wasn’t done by the on-screen talent. However, Each actor did a great job and definitely pulled off a believable performance.
I applaud the editing and syncing of the film. Doing that for singing musical is one thing, but being able to do that for movie that focuses on drumming is an achievement, especially if the drummers aren’t performing live. They did a great job in making it all believable.
This was a great film. The message of the film is really inspiring, not just to musicians, but anyone who is striving to make an impact on the world. I really liked La La Land, so I wanted to see the previous entry of the directors resume. This isn’t a burst into song musical, so it is a good entry to start watching them.