There's definitely some points u can hear him playing slightly too early/slow, especially the time before he throws the chair

​@@all-seeingobama3361 100% he was inconsistent and noticeably rushing a lot of parts.

how do you know its a fact?

​@@DJKurohyea I'm not sure about when Fletcher first stopped him but I think once Fletcher stopped him it made Andrew nervous and then he started messing up the tempo slightly

@ChaChaRealSm00th Definitely agree. It's hard to remain on tempo when Fletcher is breathing fire at you when you thought he was a nice guy.

My all time favorite movie ending 🔥

Not quite my tempo.

Its called reaching your full potential - but I agree, it was fear not awe.

@@frederickmiles8815 yeah, but it's still a manipulative sociopath

And, who do you think builds and maintains societies? @@alejandroparedes2500

It's him realizing he's not just great, he's A great, and he'll probably die young or be troubled like the discussion at dinner.

That's for sure as hell is one hell of an assumption. 😅 Makes me laugh how people always thing something bad is gonna happen to Andrew, like good things never happen. 😅

😂😂😂

Not even a little bit sad. It’s epic and you can’t convince me otherwise.

@@joematlock Like much of the movie, it is epic and tragic. The drumming is great, and he shows up Fletcher, but Fletcher ultimately wins. His whole reasoning for abusing Neimen, destroying his personality and life is because he wishes to get one amazing student to overcome his expectations, is "justified" in his mind. The director himself said the end is pretty tragic. Does Neimen become a great drummer? Probably. Will he ever be happy? Probably not.

⁠​⁠​⁠@@lespaul5734I see it more as if you want to be the best at something or great at it you have to sacrifice a lot and fletcher is just giving him old school hard love maybe bc he sees his potential and it’s his job as a director to push him bc pressure makes diamonds bit narcissistic yes but it’s his job anybody in that room can walk out or stand up for themselves and in real life file a complaint to the school or in sometimes in the movie the police😂

@@lespaul5734but Andrew understands the sacrifice needed to be great. So maybe it’s sad to you, but he achieved exactly what he wanted. It’s a triumph, it’s a happy ending, it’s Andrew achieving greatness.

@@FlareDope The guy who wrote the story exmplained the ending is supposed to be tragic. That's not only my opinion, its the intended purpose behind the story. Sacrifice is always necessary, but that doesn't mean all abuse and sacrifice is good or worth it. The movie shows him becoming distant and hostile with hsi family, completely consummed by his desire to meet the expectation of Fletcher. He breaks up with the girl he liked, which he regrets later, because he thinks he can only have one thing in life. He neglets his physical health and nearly dies in a car crash, but even that doesn't dissuiade him. It shows that he is completely neglecting his happiness, health and relationships in order to meet the expectations of an abusive teacher. In the end, its Fletcher that wins, not him. He lost his dream student position, and position in a band that will allow him to go straight to professional orchestras. He lost his girlfriend which he is clearly saddened about. Compare him to how he was in the beginning of the movie, and he's a shell of his former self. And there is no indication that he will suddenly become a famed musician after the end of the movie, so his initial goal is not reached at all.

At times the movie felt like it was rushing or dragging, I am not sure which one.

Absolutely agreed. His family even say at the dinner table that Charlie Parker was an alcoholic and a heroin addict (which came about after getting addicted to meds in recovery from a car wreck...), he also attempted suicide twice, was put in a mental hospital, and died penniless at age 34, and people are still saying "I hope he becomes the next Charlie Parker" while watching. And obviously there's also the other similar student who killed himself. The film shows him throw away personal relationships, drag himself from a car wreck, destroy his body, mind and everything else about his life in order to be good enough to impress his tormentor. To me it's very clearly a tragedy, his life is headed for ruin and the final scene shows him embracing it. And his dad knows it and is horrified.

Even the director confirms this is what would most likely happen, so its not even much of a debate haha

Tragedy for sure. Yes he reached the status he wanted but he validated the monstrous methods of fletcher. You can also tell it’s tragedy based on that horrifies look his dad gives him while he’s in his solo at the end.

Because the point is not the abuse. It's about what it takes to achieve infamy. Being great, being a legend means sacrifice.

​@@TheGoldenCapstoneYou keep reposting this and it still isn't true. Achieving greatness doesn't mean you need to be an absolute trainwreck mentally/physically. That's a foolish way to measure greatness. You missed the message of the movie.

I remember the director confirmed it himself. This movie has no happy ending. Andrew will end up just like the other kid.

thats why this movie is so haunting to me, like yeah he achieved greatness, but he sold his life and soul away in the process.

He is absolutely seeing greatness. It's just that the dad sees the horror in it aswell. It's also important to note that Neiman is not meant to be analogous to Sean Casey. Casey was never Fletchers Charlie Parker, Casey never achieved greatness. Sure it is true that the movie does not foretell a good future for Neiman, but he isn't Casey, he's Parker.

@@askechadd2473 No, he isn't. His dad doesn't understand music, and even if he understands it, he raised Andrew, he supported him, he went to all his performances, so he wouldn't be surprised that Andrew is good, he know he is good. The scene is there to show how his dad is devastated that Andrew is back in his old life that almost destroyed him before. And who said the first kid isn't Charlie Parker? We never met him. We don't know if he is better than Andrew. Anyway, Charlie Parker was suicidal and died at 34. This film is a precautionary tale about abusive relationships, obsessiveness, and toxic work environment. It's not a movie about achieving greatness.

I have to disagree. At the beginning he took his shit, but didn't for long. Told him to f himself quite a few times. Those that care about Fletcher's opinion, would have still taken the abuse, but he didn't.

Hang in there, you got this!

@@Ergoperidot thank you, I’m trying the best I can!!

@@LilliGirl33it’s alright you’re not alone

Go with the punches, remember that it will pass my man. You got this!

aw, whatever’s going on i hope it gets better!

It wasn't weird. Fletcher believed that Andrew could be his Charlie Parker, from the first time he heard him play. He just pushed and manipulated him to see if he was right. Yes, he stole the folder, because he knew that Andrew had it memorized. Stealing that folder was just a test to see if Andrew had been doing what Fletcher thought he had been doing, which is hours and hours of brutal practice. Once he humiliated Andrew, he figured he would respond as Charlie Parker had, and start practicing like crazy. That's why he threw the chair at his head, just like Jo Jones had thrown a cymbal at Parker's head. Jo Jones gave Fletcher the blueprint to find the one. In short, you're spot on about all you said, except that it wasn't weird at all. It was Fletcher's life mission to discover someone like Andrew.

that's exactly what happened. Fletcher knew instantly what he had in Neiman - that's why he was so hard on him. the entire movie is Fletcher grilling the fuck out of Neiman

I've never met a music teacher who wasn't mentally abusive. This is nothing special. Teller's character is a legit terrible musician who didn't deserve the opportunity he got. Those drumming montages with him bleeding is just ridiculous.

That scene where the kid plays until he bleeds? You've never pushed yourself that hard. So now you cook.

@@filmcrafter2093 tellers character was probably the most determined and diligent drummer in the room. Obviously him leaving after the whole car accident dilemna is understandable, he was out of it. He absolutely deserved his opportunity.

I was in radio throughout my 20’s. I empathize with your story

you're not lying.

That isn’t a look of recognition from his dad, it’s a look of dread, it’s become an obsession for him and an unhealthy one, it’s a tragedy masqueraded as a triumph. Fletcher has total control over him by the end. But I can completely understand both sides of it. But the the director confirmed that it isn’t a happy ending. Still, it shouldn’t take away from your message of the movie.

You better be prepared next time some might try throwing a cymbal your way. That way lies greatness.

@@scipioafricanus5871 oh..i'm old enough to grab and throw something back with disrespect so it's cool

Empty shell? Playing music at an elite level is what he always wanted. Accomplishing that will not make him an empty shell.

@@joematlock This the director's comments, not mine. We already have a character "Playing music at an elite level" who killed themselves in this very movie- Sean Casey. Emotionally fulfilled people generally don't kill themselves. Why wouldn't it happen again?

He has no self worth. He was only fulfilled after looking up and seeing fletchers nod of approval

@@AlejandraGarcia-ho3lq agreed.

Exactly. It's a "the villain wins" story.

​@@AlejandraGarcia-ho3lqWrong. That's the weak person's perspective. They nod to each other because they both understand that he truly, finally achieved the perfect performance. You think his teacher is just being "mean" and "abusive" but he pushed him beyond his limits and in the end he achieved musical greatness.

Nothing sad in the ending. It’s epic and Andrew is completely satisfied. Excellence feels great.

I second your suggestion.

Miles Teller even had a collision with a semi---truck just to see how it would be to play with a concussion. Now that's dedication to a craft!