@intothenightalone said:

I interpreted it as the teacher wanting to get his revenge on him (and that's all) yet he was so impressed with his comeback that he was won over by it. I don't think it was an intentional "I'll push him and see what he can deliver", I think he thought he'd humiliate him, end his career and that was that.

So he won over his teacher in the end, and that was something he was trying to do the whole movie so it is sort of a character arch and fulfilling the storyline.

Yes, it's clearly what happened. First he mentions that "they" do not forget and then he tells him he knows he ratted him out. Nice setup for a revenge, to make sure that kid is done for good. Although...

... there is one small piece that's missing. Who is the replacement drummer? I don't believe Fletcher would throw away the entire performance just for revenge... would Fletcher gamble it all on him to not break? Or maybe he did have alternative drummer back stage, or maybe it just a plot hole to make the story more clean.

I did not expect the twist with the revenge, but I never do, it defeats the purpose to think about the movie before you have seen it all.

Interesting question and thoughts...

I don't think Fletcher was won over fully by Neimann, rather that in that moment, he realised greatness in the music and as a musician decided to join Neimann and go with it...

What happens later?

I was left with the impression that whether or not there is a possibility for reconciliation afterwards, I think Neimann understands that he does not need Fletchers approval anymore and rather can reach for greatness himself, but pushing himself on his own...

What does it even mean, win over... I don't think you can just win over Fletcher. He would never stop strive for perfection and would always push Neiman to achieve the best.

But he definitely changed his mind and got the approval, with his passion and energy... Fletcher prepared for him the ultimate push, a deathblow... but it was fuel to the fire and that's when he found what he was looking for... whether they would continue to collaborate is not really important. Chances are that performance did get him some professional recognition.

I especially loved the face on his father looking through the door... and the realization.

Neiman achieves what he always wanted and becomes a success. But the events of the film have taken their toll. He suffers from PTSD until he eventually commits suicide later in life, echoing Fletcher's other former student Sean Cassey and Neiman's hero Charlie Parker.

The film, like Black Swan, is an examination of suffering for one's art and what it can do to the mind.

You can find a pretty fascinating analysis of the film's ending here: https://youtu.be/ugCUhKj0jNg

Neiman is a tragedy. If he was Luke, he'd have killed Anakin, and taken his place at the side of Darth Sidious.

He sold his soul to the devil.

@mechajutaro said:

The ending - how'd you read it?

I didn't read the ending at all, being that Whiplash is a movie and not a book. Watched the ending on a screen in an auditorium

I'm sure you are just joking, but nevertheless:

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/read

You can definitely read a scene, an expression, a movie.