It has been my understanding, and observation of the infamous bus tape, that Buddy got abusive when people did not put out 100%. When they screwed up and did not care, when it was his name on the marquee.
The lunatic instructor is demonically abusive on purpose, supposedly to find/make the next great musician. His name meant nothing, really, not even the school's name and reputation, though the teacher brings it up. I'd like to see Buddy go "1,2" and expect anybody at the highest professional level know what the count is. That whole scene was just void of reality.
99% of people go into shock, at least temporarily, in a car crash of such magnitude. This kid is out and running to go play, and when he gets there, covered in blood, the reaction is just ridiculous. WHO would continue a performance in such a situation? Hollywood.
I don't know how abusive sports coaches are. I never had one like that. If Bob Knight was a lunatic like that I doubt his career would have been what it was. That is criminal abuse, literally. If Knight was regarded by his players with esteem because despite his antics he brought out the best in them ... not one musician do I recall, any dialogue at all, saying one halfway decent thing about JK's character. Who would? Did I miss it? It was all fear. Total lunatic. Demonic. Insane. You cannot play great music in fear like that. Sports? Contact sports? Sure. Get angry. Not great music. Unless it is Punk rock. Plus, like everybody has noted, the Papa Jo story is very wrong, giving a wrong impression, and sets up the guy's lunacy as legitimate.
Anyway. It's just a movie. Hey, I had my share of blister's and blood when I was young, but the whole "Kung Fu" attitude (if you are old enough to remember the tv program) is so way over the top it is laughable. You cannot play drums with layers of skin messed up like that. Icing would not help. You have to be able to use fingers in jazz, not numb them. Hollywood.
I loved all the water on the cymbal at the end. The kid obviously perspires like Niagara Falls and it drips horizontally.
The charts were good. But, given the lack of them, like I said, I thought the movie was about drums and music. Not really. It will hold your attention because of the shock factor. That is what held me, I suppose.
Seeing JK in that role is what flips people out. The insurance guy all buffed out, and Hitleresque. May as well be watching the guy who played Mr. Whipple, the Charmine toilet paper guy, in such a role.