History Film / Whiplash

* FauxAffablyEvil: Fletcher is practically obsessed with giving his musicians a HopeSpot or two before shifting into all-out verbal and occasionally physical abuse. He even maintains a friendly facade with the audience by insisting that he views his students as his children, a statement that is... questionable in truthfulness at best.

* PoliticallyIncorrectVillain: Fletcher is not above comparing Neyman to a little girl or a homosexual when attempting to belittle him.

* TheDeterminator: Andrew and Fletcher each fulfill this to some extent. Andrew, in his attempts to fully access his potential as a drummer (to the point that he regularly bloodies his hands from wearing on them so often during practice); Fletcher, in how driven he is to motivate his students to succeed, [[spoiler: even keeping Andrew and 2 fellow students isolated from the rest of the band for hours so that they can match his tempo in a harsh bit of practice]].

* DangerouslyGenreSavvy: Terence Fletcher. He intentionally invites Andrew to his new band [[spoiler:after being fired from Shaffer, knowing ''full well'' that A. Andrew was the witness who got him fired and B. Andrew is so driven to become successful that he would let his guard down. It is not until just before the final performance when Fletcher revealed his real intentions of letting Andrew into his new band.]]

* WorthyOpponent: [[spoiler:Andrew's final performance drives Fletcher to tears along with a nod of approval.]]

* BittersweetEnding: [[spoiler:Andrew finishes his CrowningMusicOfAwesome and finally wins over Fletcher, with the latter finally convinced he'll be one of the greats.]] However, Andrew endures losing his girlfriend and almost everything else in his personal life in order to get there. Moreover, the viewer is left to wonder whether the final performance ultimately justifies Fletcher's abuse throughout the film and if Andrew's effort was really worth it.

* BittersweetEnding: [[spoiler:Andrew finishes his CrowningMusicOfAwesome and finally wins over Fletcher, with the latter finally convinced he'll be one of the greats. However, Andrew endures losing his girlfriend and almost everything else in his personal life in order to finally be accepted by Fletcher. Moreover, the viewer is left to wonder whether the final performance ultimately justifies Fletcher's abuse throughout the film.]]

* EnforcedMethodActing: In one scene Fletcher repeatedly slaps Andrew while making him do a four count and trying to get him to figure out if Andrew's tempo was too slow or too fast. The actors, after doing a few takes where Simmons only mock slapped Teller, decided to do one take where Simmons slapped him for real. That was the take they used.

* EnforcedMethodActing: In one scene Fletcher repeatedly slaps Andrew while making him do a four count and trying to get him to figure out if Andrew's tempo was too slow or too fast. The actors, after doing a few takes where Simmons only mock slapped Teller, decided to do one take where Simmons slapped him for real. That was the take they used.

* HopeSpot: Fletcher tortures his musicians with these, offering a bit of praise or encouragement, only to immediately shift into his usual abusive method of teaching. Andrew discovers this on his first day with the Studio Band.

* SadistTeacher: Fletcher.

* {{Deconstruction}}: Of SeriousBusiness regarding jazz music. Andrew's attempts to impress his teacher drives him to ignore or hurt people close to him and to tolerate Fletcher's growing amount of abuse. By the climax of the film, jazz music is the only thing in Andrew's life. [[http://www.chicagotribune.com/ct-keilman-column-hf-1112-20141112-story.html Here's Chicago Tribune's thought on the matter.]]

* {{Deconstruction}}: Of SeriousBusiness regarding jazz music. Andrew's attempts to impress his teacher drives him to ignore or hurt people close to him and tolerate Fletcher's growing amount of abuse. By the climax of the film, jazz music is the only thing in Andrew's life. [[http://www.chicagotribune.com/ct-keilman-column-hf-1112-20141112-story.html Here's Chicago Tribune's thought on the matter.]]

* EarnYourHappyEnding: [[spoiler:Andrew finishes his CrowningMusicOfAwesome and finally wins over Fletcher, with the latter finally convinced he'll be one of the greats.]]

->''"There are no two words in the English language more harmful than good job."''

* NoHoldsBarredBeatdown: [[spoiler:Andrew unleashes this on Fletcher about halfway through the movie.]]

* {{Troll}}: Fletcher is an especially malicious one to Andrew throughout the film, whether it is harassing Andrew for his tempo or mocking [[spoiler:how his mother walked out on him]]. [[spoiler:By the final performance, Fletcher even fools Andrew into thinking his new class will be playing "[[TitleDrop Whiplash]]" only to humiliate Andrew by having the band play a different song as his form of vengeance.]]

* SingleTear: One of these literally streams down Andrew's cheek during Fletcher's first time reproaching him. Fletcher makes sure to call him out on it.

* SeriousBusiness: Jazz.

* Adorkable: Andrew can occasionally be like this, at least around his father or when initially flirting with Nicole.
* TheDogBitesBack: Andrew starts to grow a bigger backbone the more time he spends with Fletcher.

* PoliticallyIncorrectVillain: Fletcher is not above comparing Neyman to a little girl or a homosexual when attempting to belittle him.