I ended up seeing this only because my son was watching in the other room and I was drawn by the music; once I watched 30 sec, I was hooked.
It's all about the interplay between a hard-driving, perfectionist, even sadistic band leader and an ambitious young drummer trying to make his mark in the world of music. The actors in the two key roles are top notch; they bring out so many emotions as we oscillate from admiration to sympathy to repudiation to outright hatred. It's very emotional, very tense, and in the end one is not quite sure where we're left but it's a superb ride all the way. And the music: I'm not a jazz afficionado, but I loved it all. The soundtrack is well worth listening to on its own.
It's all about the interplay between a hard-driving, perfectionist, even sadistic band leader and an ambitious young drummer trying to make his mark in the world of music. The actors in the two key roles are top notch; they bring out so many emotions as we oscillate from admiration to sympathy to repudiation to outright hatred. It's very emotional, very tense, and in the end one is not quite sure where we're left but it's a superb ride all the way. And the music: I'm not a jazz afficionado, but I loved it all. The soundtrack is well worth listening to on its own.