Rating: 7/10
Review date: January 7, 2004
A down-on-his-luck musician who was recently kicked out of his band has no choice but to find a new job when he is forced by his roommate�s girlfriend to pay rent. He took a job as a 4th grade substitute teacher in a prestigious school by assuming the identity of his roommate and proceeds to teach his class about rock and roll.
Whether you will enjoy this movie or not depends on two things: first is your attitude towards rock and second is how much do you know about rock.
Personally I don�t mind rock music, I do listen to them from time to time but I�m not a big fan. That brings us to the second issue, I do not know much about rock itself thus diminishing my overall enjoyment since I didn�t get some of the humor that requires one to have some basic knowledge on rockers/rock bands such as Jimi Hendrix and AC/DC.
Regardless of that, I am very entertained by the cast with the most notable one being Jack Black himself who rocks big time, both as a comedian and as a rocker. However I find that some of his scenes are too exaggerated, I would have much prefer it if he doesn�t constantly act so hyped up and psychotic.
Jack Black�s character (Dewey Finn) is the last type of person we would like to see our kids hang out with. Despite of his negative traits, his character is actually very likable. This is due to Jack Black�s ability to interact well with the kids as well as Principal Rosalie Mullins (played by Joan Cusack).
The kids are too numerous to mention here but suffice it to say that they did their job admirably. It is also a wise move in director Richard Linklater�s part to cast children who can really play musical instruments, making the movie that much more convincing.
The School of Rock is not just a plain comedy, it has an underlying message which is to be yourself, do not follow the masses blindly and fight for what you think is right for you. The lack of adult themes or cursing and such also contributes to the wide range of audience that it can attract although it is certainly not a family movie.
So what else is good about this movie? The pacing is definitely nice and keeps me entertained throughout. As for the soundtrack, rock music rules the field and the songs are quite nice too. If you are a fan of jack Black, I believe you will dig this movie but if you�re not, you�ll still be entertained nevertheless. Have fun and keep on rocking!
Memorable quote: We roll tonight... to the guitar bite... and for those about to rock... I salute you.
-Jack Black as Dewey Finn-
(c) Martin Taidy