Watching the quiet, classical-music-infused "Seymour: An Introduction" made me recall another film about a musician: the jazz drama "Whiplash," which made a lot of splashes and won three Oscars. The two may be completely different experiences, yet the films seem to play off each other, like paths of parallel universes.

"Seymour" is a documentary about Manhattan pianist Seymour Bernstein, directed by eternal indies heartthrob Ethan Hawke. "Whiplash" was very loosely based on the autobiographical events of its director, Damien Chazelle, and starred red-carpet treaders Miles Teller and J.K. Simmons. Ten years from now, my bet is that people will remember Hawke and Bernstein over the people who made "Whiplash." This is not a comment on the quality of the movies, but on the particular nature of music and musicians. "Whiplash" was about the battle between the two, "Seymour: An Introduction" is a love story.

"Seymour" is intriguing, mainly because it brings together two uniquely talented artists — Hawke and Bernstein — and captures them in thought and ocasionally in conversation, sometimes together but more often on their own. Hawke does what he does best, which is ponder and philosophize on the meaning of his work and existence: "I've been struggling lately with why I do what I do." His most memorable performances have even shown him doing just that: Ben Stiller's romantic comedy "Reality Bites" and Richard Linklater's relationship trilogy of "Before Sunrise," "Before Sunset" and "Before Midnight," all have him in various stages of charming, seductive soliloquy. Sure, his characters were usually full of themselves, but the self-doubt and a blase, disheveled demeanor, is a winning combination.