10 Intense Movies Like Whiplash You Must Watch

Fans of Damien Chazelle’s film Whiplash will be looking for more films like it. Movies Like Whiplash is a powerful and captivating story that helped him become one of the most interesting new directors working today. Miles Teller plays Andrew, a young, skilled drummer who is pushed to his limits by Fletcher (J.K. Simmons), his abusive and demanding jazz teacher. The movie looks at obsession and the connection between a teacher and a student. It’s also the kind of movie where the stress comes through and makes you sweat. While Whiplash is a one-of-a-kind movie, there are enough movies like it to please fans.

The young director Damien Chazelle’s most recent movie, Babylon, bombed at the box office and got mixed reviews, but it still shows how talented he is. Whiplash, a beautiful movie about obsession, wanting to be the best, and one of the most twisted mentor relationships of all time, was the first movie most people saw about him. Another movie that is very different from movies like Whiplash is Babylon. However, fans can easily find other interesting movies to enjoy.

10 Intense Movies Like Whiplash:

1. Amadeus (1984):

Any good movie about great music and shaky relationships will be compared to “Amadeus,” which shows anger and brilliance in stunning ways. The image of movies like Whiplash lives up to that of its predecessor, and the other way around.

According to this Guardian piece, “Amadeus” is a rich biopic of two classical composers, Mozart (Tom Hulce) and Salieri (F. Murray Abraham). Salieri, who is religious and good, thinks for years that his great skill and success come directly from God and are his reward for being good. Then he meets Mozart, and all the plans he had for his life fall apart. It’s annoying that Mozart is so gauche, crude, and incredibly talented that he makes Salieri look average. It’s too much for Salieri to handle. He is determined to bring down Mozart, even if it means sabotaging and killing him, which hurts his faith in the process.

The movie got a lot of good reviews and won eight Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor in a Leading Role. This movie was ranked no. 53 on The American Film Institute’s list of the 100 best American movies ever made in 1998. This is a classic, and it’s definitely related to “Whiplash.”

2. The Novice (2021):

In Lauren Hadaway’s film The Novice, college freshman Alex (Isabelle Fuhrman) joins her school’s rowing team and starts a crazy, physical and mental journey to get into the top senior boat, no matter what it costs her. With a focus on the intense world of college sports and the pressures young players face, the movie looks at obsession, ambition, and the sacrifices people make in order to be the best.

Movies Like Whiplash, The Novice is about the mental damage that comes from always wanting to be the best. Alex’s obsession with success causes her to go through a lot of physical and emotional pain. In both movies, the main characters are driven by an unwavering desire to do well in their areas, even though their mentors expect them to do so and their goals are competitive. Both movies show the sacrifices and moral problems that come with trying to be the best all the time through deep character studies.

3. Glengarry Glen Ross (1992):

Part of what makes Whiplash such an exciting movie is the fast-paced action and interesting conversation set in a world with a lot of stress. In this way, Glengarry Glen Ross is like that movie because it’s about a bunch of desperate men who work as real estate agents and are eager to make a sale.

There are a lot of great actors in the movie. Al Pacino, Ed Harris, Jack Lemmon, and others all do great jobs. It’s a funny, tense, and exciting movie about people talking to each other. It was written by the great David Mamet.

4. Birdman (2014):

“Birdman” builds up to a boil, maybe even an explosion, because it looks like it was shot in one long take with no breaks. Riggan Thomson, played by Michael Keaton, used to be a big star and is now a failed superhero. It’s getting late in his career, and he wants to use a new Broadway show to get a little fame and return to taking his work seriously.

But the path to opening night is rough, both emotionally and professionally, and we can see the powder keg’s fuse slowly going out. The people around Riggan are all unstable, from his separated daughter (Emma Stone) to his spoiled new co-star (Edward Norton) to a mean critic (Lindsay Duncan). He can’t connect with any of them. Besides all that, he can hear the voice of his old character, Birdman, in his head. Not only is Riggan’s image at risk, but so is his minds.

So, just movies like Whiplash(though with more CGI), “Birdman” builds to a strong ending and a scene that you’ll remember. We are put under a lot of pressure to think deeply about the unpredictable nature of art and the flaws and egos of the people who make it happen. At times, it can be a nightmare.

5. Tár (2023):

In Todd Field’s film TÁR, famous singer Lydia Tár (Cate Blanchett) is under a lot of pressure to record a symphony that will make or break her career. At the same time, her carefully constructed exterior starts to fall apart, revealing dark secrets and the corrupting effects of power. The movie has a great cast, including Nina Hoss, Noémie Merlant, and Mark Strong. It’s about desire, cheating, and how hard it is to be a genius artist in the competitive world of classical music.

In a way movies like Whiplash, TÁR shows how hard it is to be perfect in the music business, as Lydia Tár deals with the high expectations of her job and problems inside and outside of her family. Characters in both movies are complicated and have to deal with the effects of their desire for success while being pushed to their limits by teachers and outside forces. In the end, they question the sacrifices that are needed to be great.

6. The Prestige (2006):

Some of Christopher Nolan’s other movies get more attention than The Prestige, which is a great story that should get more attention. In this movie, Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman play rival stage magicians in the late 1800s. Their feud has grown worse over the years.

As a movie about magicians, The Prestige might not seem to have much in common with Whiplash. However, both are about people who are obsessed with being perfect. As the story goes on, both men go to some dark places in their quest to find the right trick.

7. Black Swan (2011):

Nina Sayers (Natalie Portman), a shy and emotionally fragile dancer in “Black Swan,” goes through a lot as she tries to be great at her craft. When she gets the lead part she wants in a new production of “Swan Lake,” it looks like all her hard work has finally paid off. But it’s still hard for her to become the sensual and unstable Black Swan, and her efforts start to make her feel like she’s going crazy. Ballet is known for cutting up dancers’ feet, but Nina’s injuries are getting stranger: she seems to be growing feathers.

Nina is losing touch with the real world. But how could we blame her? People are always trying to get ahead at the ballet school, where her director (played by the creepy and predatory Vincent Cassel) keeps her on edge, and her mother is always trying to control her. She feels strong and free when she dances, and she finds artistic satisfaction in it. Andrew in movies like Whiplash, she’s ready to go through all the pain in the end if it means getting the performance of a lifetime and a moment of pure transcendence.

8. Pollock (2000):

Pollock is a biographical look into the life of famous painter Jackson Pollock. It shows how he deals with self-doubt, fame, and his own personal problems. Through Ed Harris’s gripping performance as Pollock, the movie shows how complicated artistic genius can be and how people will do anything to be creative. The film gives a strong picture of the man behind the famous drip paintings by focusing on his inner struggle and creative process.

In the same way that Whiplash does, Pollock looks at the sacrifices and battles that artists go through to become the best at what they do. Both movies show how serious the relationship can be between a mentor and an individual’s goals, with characters going to great lengths to achieve artistic perfection. Through its close look at the creative process and personal sacrifices, Pollock’s work echoes the themes of obsession and commitment found in Whiplash. It is a powerful reflection on what it takes to be an artist of greatness.

9. First Man (2018):

La La Land is another Damien Chazelle movie that is about jazz, but First Man and Whiplash are more alike. Ryan Gosling plays Neil Armstrong, who, after his own tragedy, gives his whole life to his dream of going to space, no matter what the risks are.

No movie before this one has made space travel look as scary as Chazelle’s does. There are a lot of risks and things that could go wrong with this plan. It’s also interesting to see a side of this American hero that most people don’t see.

10. Foxcatcher (2015):

Movies Like Whiplash, the dark 2014 film “Foxcatcher” walks the line between drama and thriller, telling an exciting story that feels like it’s only one fight away from turning violent. It’s even more tense if you know about the events that “Foxcatcher” is based on. The movie is still exciting and scary even though you know what’s going to happen.

This is the story of a big wrestling team that is owned by John du Pont, played by a Steve Carell who looks almost nothing like him. Du Pont hires two brothers, Mark (Channing Tatum) and Dave Schultz (Mark Ruffalo), who are both former Olympic winners. In the beginning, only Mark can accept the offer. He likes being the center of attention because he’s always felt like a less-than-perfect copy of his more-than-successful brother. He grows when Du Pont pays attention to him, even though it leads to a new, troubling drug habit. But Du Pont has his own problems, and when they get worse, he turns on Mark and makes him fall further and further. Dave might be the only way for him to get away. All of this leads to a tense triangle of competition, need, and power.

Conclusion:

The relentless pace, psychological intensity, and emotionally charged acts in Whiplash may have touched a nerve for you. These 10 intense movies will do the same. Each movie, like Black Swan’s artistic madness, Amadeus’ genius rivalry, or The Novice and TÁR’s soul-crushing desire, shows how exciting and sometimes scary it is to try to be the best. The main ideas that made movies likeWhiplash so memorable are present in these stories: perfectionism, obsessive desire, and the harsh price of being perfect.

This list has a carefully chosen mix of psychological dramas, biopics, and dark thrillers that are movies like Whiplash in that they combine strong emotions with masterful writing. They do more than just entertain; they also push you to think about how far you can go for greatness. These intense movies will hit all the right notes if you want to go on more emotionally charged trips through passion and success.

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