Andrew Neiman - Tumblr Posts
different characters same vibes
just know that if you saw the 10th anniversary re-release of whiplash i’m jealous.
You broached the question over a night of thai food take-out and queueing various jazz music on your spotify.
"I need a plus-1 for my cousin's wedding."
Neiman gave you a look, mid egg-roll-bite. "Nobody needs a plus-1."
"I ticked the box on the RSVP, and I don't want food to go to waste, and I don't want to look like a loser in front of my extended family." You reached your chopsticks over to his plate and took a lump of his pad thai. "That's why you need to come with me."
He snorted. "This is probably the first time someone has asked me to be their date to a wedding instead of their entertainment."
"Alright well I'm not asking you to be my date, I'm asking you to make me look less pathetic in front of my family."
"Because I already-"
"Look pathetic, see, you're way ahead of me."
"Okay." He took another bite of his egg roll. "Yeah, sure. Whatever, I'll do it. Since you need me so bad."
"Here's one off the soundtrack of In The Mood For Love, be quiet."
That's how the pair of you found yourselves in the corner of the lamest wedding reception known to man, you bitching about various family drama and him silently listening to you(or completely zoning out, to be fair he was looking very intently at a centerpiece at your table and not at you).
"That's why Uncle Richard isn't allowed at Sara's barbeques anymore. Are you going to eat your cake?" Your plate was empty, save for a couple of crumbs, but Neiman hadn't even touched his fork.
"No, no, uh. I'm just thinking right now."
"Well stop." You took his fork and scooped up a piece of the chocolate cake in front of him. "Don't make me make airplane noises in front of people that have changed my diapers when I was a baby."
"Jesus fuck, fine. You're so fucking weird." He took the fork from you and stuffed the cake into his mouth. "Happy?"
"You live to make me happy."
"That's why I'm here, huh?"
You leaned back in your seat, giving him a rather pleased grin. Neiman rolled his eyes and gave you his own, more amused than pleased, grin.
"Why did you invite me?" He prodded.
"I told you, you're a pawn in my family mind-games."
"Yeah, but why did you tick the plus-1 box on the invite in the first place? It's not like you were cornered into saying you were bringing someone."
"I guess I just wanted to bring you." You absentmindedly picked at the crumbs on your plate. "I like being around you."
"O-oh." Andrew fidgeted with his hands. "Uh, me too." His ears were starting to tinge pink under the dim fairy lights.
For the first time since the ceremony you had fallen completely silent. The two of you just looked at each other(although outsiders may classify it as "gazing"), weighing the implications of a seemingly innocuous wedding invite. You were the first to break.
“Should we– um… should we head out now?”
“Oh, uh sure.”
“It’s just, I think I’ve exhausted my weird family stories.” You let out a nervous chuckle.
“Sure, yeah, sure.” The chuckle had seemingly also infected Andrew. You collected your various wares into you small handbag (which went very well with your outfit), and reached your hand out as you stood up. Andrew seemed to study it for a fraction of a second, before also standing up, taking your clammy hand in his equally sweaty one. You were in too deep now, but who cares. Nobody was looking at you. Except for Andrew, who was very much looking at you.
“Let’s go call a cab.”
You broached the question over a night of thai food take-out and queueing various jazz music on your spotify.
"I need a plus-1 for my cousin's wedding."
Neiman gave you a look, mid egg-roll-bite. "Nobody needs a plus-1."
"I ticked the box on the RSVP, and I don't want food to go to waste, and I don't want to look like a loser in front of my extended family." You reached your chopsticks over to his plate and took a lump of his pad thai. "That's why you need to come with me."
He snorted. "This is probably the first time someone has asked me to be their date to a wedding instead of their entertainment."
"Alright well I'm not asking you to be my date, I'm asking you to make me look less pathetic in front of my family."
"Because I already-"
"Look pathetic, see, you're way ahead of me."
"Okay." He took another bite of his egg roll. "Yeah, sure. Whatever, I'll do it. Since you need me so bad."
"Here's one off the soundtrack of In The Mood For Love, be quiet."
That's how the pair of you found yourselves in the corner of the lamest wedding reception known to man, you bitching about various family drama and him silently listening to you(or completely zoning out, to be fair he was looking very intently at a centerpiece at your table and not at you).
"That's why Uncle Richard isn't allowed at Sara's barbeques anymore. Are you going to eat your cake?" Your plate was empty, save for a couple of crumbs, but Neiman hadn't even touched his fork.
"No, no, uh. I'm just thinking right now."
"Well stop." You took his fork and scooped up a piece of the chocolate cake in front of him. "Don't make me make airplane noises in front of people that have changed my diapers when I was a baby."
"Jesus fuck, fine. You're so fucking weird." He took the fork from you and stuffed the cake into his mouth. "Happy?"
"You live to make me happy."
"That's why I'm here, huh?"
You leaned back in your seat, giving him a rather pleased grin. Neiman rolled his eyes and gave you his own, more amused than pleased, grin.
"Why did you invite me?" He prodded.
"I told you, you're a pawn in my family mind-games."
"Yeah, but why did you tick the plus-1 box on the invite in the first place? It's not like you were cornered into saying you were bringing someone."
"I guess I just wanted to bring you." You absentmindedly picked at the crumbs on your plate. "I like being around you."
"O-oh." Andrew fidgeted with his hands. "Uh, me too." His ears were starting to tinge pink under the dim fairy lights.
For the first time since the ceremony you had fallen completely silent. The two of you just looked at each other(although outsiders may classify it as "gazing"), weighing the implications of a seemingly innocuous wedding invite. You were the first to break.
“Should we– um… should we head out now?”
“Oh, uh sure.”
“It’s just, I think I’ve exhausted my weird family stories.” You let out a nervous chuckle.
“Sure, yeah, sure.” The chuckle had seemingly also infected Andrew. You collected your various wares into you small handbag (which went very well with your outfit), and reached your hand out as you stood up. Andrew seemed to study it for a fraction of a second, before also standing up, taking your clammy hand in his equally sweaty one. You were in too deep now, but who cares. Nobody was looking at you. Except for Andrew, who was very much looking at you.
“Let’s go call a cab.”
!!!SPOILERS FOR WHIPLASH (2014)!!!
Tw//Mentions of abuse (not specified or detailed) The ending to Whiplash was not a happy one and here is why I think so. Fletcher is a character that is in fact an antagonist despite the motives he reveals in the café after Andrew anonymously sues him. Fletcher only does these break down and build up techniques so he can have a living, walking, breathing, jazz-playing trophy. He wanted to have a legacy that would live long after him. He wanted his players to be remembered so that he would be remembered. Wanting to be remembered is valid and all. But Fletcher drives his players to the brink. To the edge. And he does it using some pretty intense manipulation. Fletcher, as he did before, manipulated Andrew yet again. After exiting the café he invited Andrew to the next performance. He knew that Andrew couldn't resist the temptation after Fletcher implied that he needed Andrew. Just like when Andrew first joined the band, Fletcher gave him soft and gentle encouragement. He gave him a gentle nudge of confidence. These little nudges of confidence were to establish an initial trust. Fletcher needed Andrew to trust him and become attached before he could use his typical aggressive tactics. Now, when inviting Andrew, Fletcher only told him about the songs Caravan and Whiplash. Andrew had no idea that the set would start with another song. This is the cymbal to the head. Fletcher embarrasses Andrew in front of an entire auditorium. This is step one of Fletcher's process. He knows Andrew is great but he needs to make sure that Andrew will still push on no matter what. He needs to be sure Andrew has the character for the player he wants. Andrew leaves the stage where he's met by his father. Andrew refuses his fathers attempt at consoling him. He falls into Fletcher's ideology of "good job" being bad. From this point on Andrew is in the headspace that he has to do good and he has to impress Fletcher. He is no longer playing for fun for an audience. He's craving Fletcher's approval. Even in the end, Andrew isn't proud of his accomplishment until Fletcher smiles and lets him know that he approves. Without even realizing, Andrew let Fletcher know that he is dependent on him for approval and validation again. This is the practice and the return. Fletcher has Andrew where he wants him. Fletcher, the abuser, has his greatest prize back in his grasp. He knows Andrew is a good player and now he knows that Andrew has the personality that he wants in his star player. This is the redemption. With all of this in mind, Whiplash does not have a happy ending. The antagonist, the abuser, gets what he wants. No matter how much it seems Andrew got what he wanted (to play and be great), in reality he got sucked back into the abusive cycle. Andrew may never end up truly happy. Most likely, with abusive Fletcher over his shoulder, Andrew will fall down the rabbit hole of the music industry. ----- Sorry for the long post! Feel free to challenge my analysis in the comments! I only watched the movie once and I typed this up on a whim so it likely has some holes in it. I probably could have written it up/worded it better