A promising young drummer enrolls at a cut-throat music conservatory where his dreams of greatness are mentored by an instructor who will stop at nothing to realize a student's potential.
Nineteen year old Andrew Niemann wants to be the greatest jazz drummer in the world, in a league with Buddy Rich. This goal is despite not coming from a pedigree of greatest, musical or otherwise, with Jim, his high school teacher father, being a failed writer. Andrew is starting his first year at Shaffer Conservatory of Music, the best music school in the United States. At Shaffer, being the best means being accepted to study under Terence Fletcher and being asked to play in his studio band, which represents the school at jazz competitions. Based on their less than positive first meeting, Andrew is surprised that Fletcher asks him to join the band, albeit in the alternate drummer position which he is more than happy to do initially. Andrew quickly learns that Fletcher operates on fear and intimidation, never settling for what he considers less than the best each and every time. Being the best in Fletcher's mind does not only entail playing well, but knowing that you're playing well ...Written by
Huggo
Austin Stowell (Ryan) has no drumming experience and had only a month to prepare for his role by learning three songs on drums. See more »
Goofs
When Fletcher kicks the trombone player out of the band for being out of tune, he congratulates the alternate and tells him that he is now on the fourth trombone part. The player he kicked out was sitting on the end where the bass trombone would sit, but he was not playing a bass trombone. A top-notch college band would have a bass trombone player. And a jazz conductor would never refer to a bass trombone as a fourth trombone. See more »
Quotes
Terence Fletcher:
Nieman, you lost the fucking part.
Andrew:
No, I didn't! You can't fucking do this to me!
Terence Fletcher:
CAN'T?
Andrew:
Yeah!
Terence Fletcher:
When did you become a fucking expert on what I can or cannot do, you fucking weepy willow shitsack?
Andrew:
I earned that part.
Terence Fletcher:
You never earned anything. God, you are a self-righteous prick. The only reason you are a core is because you misplaced a folder. The only reason you're in studio band to begin with is because I told you EXACTLY what I'd be asking for in Nassau! Am I wrong?
Andrew:
Yeah, yeah. I'm in studio band ...
[...] See more »
"Music is your own experience, your own thoughts, your wisdom. If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn. They teach you there's a boundary line to music. But, man, there's no boundary line to art."
Charlie Parker sums it all, Cinema is true Art. I wasn't expecting to feel this way after watching this movie. Every moment has tension and something unexpected occurring. It is as if the director had chosen to apply the tempo of the drums to the script. Anyone can relate to this story. We all have pursued a dream, a passion ... Rather or not we made it our everyday job or maybe just a hobby aside, some of us strive for something bigger.
This film is a journey in the search of your inner spirit, inner creativity ... not only will it make it clear that you cannot succeed without effort and hard work, it will also make you realize there are two different kinds of artists : - those who make art, - and those who make beautiful art
"Beautiful" because they are stimulated by a special strength within, a GIFT.
Is it because I reminisce N.Y.C. or that I play the drums? I simply believe the performances were astonishing and the actors perfectly chosen to embody these terrific characters. I won't say "good job" but rather "thank you", to the promising Franco-American director Damien Chazelle for sharing his vision.
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"Music is your own experience, your own thoughts, your wisdom. If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn. They teach you there's a boundary line to music. But, man, there's no boundary line to art."
Charlie Parker sums it all, Cinema is true Art. I wasn't expecting to feel this way after watching this movie. Every moment has tension and something unexpected occurring. It is as if the director had chosen to apply the tempo of the drums to the script. Anyone can relate to this story. We all have pursued a dream, a passion ... Rather or not we made it our everyday job or maybe just a hobby aside, some of us strive for something bigger.
This film is a journey in the search of your inner spirit, inner creativity ... not only will it make it clear that you cannot succeed without effort and hard work, it will also make you realize there are two different kinds of artists : - those who make art, - and those who make beautiful art
"Beautiful" because they are stimulated by a special strength within, a GIFT.
Is it because I reminisce N.Y.C. or that I play the drums? I simply believe the performances were astonishing and the actors perfectly chosen to embody these terrific characters. I won't say "good job" but rather "thank you", to the promising Franco-American director Damien Chazelle for sharing his vision.