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School of Rock

Dewey Finn (Jack Black) lives to rock. While commercial pop tracks dominate the radio, Dewey lives a hard rock fantasy complete with 20-minute guitar solos, pyrotechnics, and stage diving. He doesn’t care about getting a record contract or winning a local contest; he just wants to put on a great show.

Dewey’s life reaches a low-point when the band fires him just before The Battle of the Bands because of his on-stage antics. His roommate and friend, Ned (Mike White), and Ned’s domineering girlfriend Patty (Sarah Silverman), are also putting the pressure on at home as they demand Dewey to pay his share of the rent or else. Ned, a former band-mate turned substitute teacher, tries to talk Dewey out of his rock fantasy and to get a real job.

Instead of trying to find a paying job, Dewey tries to find a new band. While at home he intercepts a phone call for Ned from the Horace Green Academy, a prestigious preparatory school. When Dewey learns what the school pays, he impersonates Ned and becomes a substitute teacher.

Dewey has to teach a class of bright students who are pressured to perform by their parents and are afraid of being themselves. His lessons, though, consist of showing up with a hangover and playing the air guitar. That is until the kids are in their music class. The kids are bright, but they are also incredible classical musicians, and Dewey begins scheming of how to get his rock band back.

When the kids get back to their classroom, they find electric and bass guitars, drums and keyboards waiting for them. Dewey assigns some students to the instruments and teaches them a couple chords. Instead of playing Wagner the kids are soon playing Deep Purple.

Dewey breaks the rest of the class down into back-up singers, security detail, lights and pyrotechnic techs, stylist, manager and "groupies." He soon has them all working on his own rock ballad of epic proportions for The Battle of the Bands.

The kids aren’t only learning about playing rock. They also learn self-confidence and that they don’t have to be perfect.

Can Dewey get the kids ready for The Battle of the Bands? Will School of Rock put on a kick-ass show? Will rock prevail or will it fail to commercial-friendly smut?

Jack Black is full of awesome energy and is the driving force behind School of Rock, backed by a rocking soundtrack of hits from the 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s. The grunts, twisted faces, and dances are reminiscent of the late Chris Farley, and the one-lines are hilarious.

Joan Cusack as the uptight Principal Rosalie Mullins is brilliant as always. She is especially funny when she is disciplining a sweet little girl early in the movie, and when Dewey later gets her permission to take the kids on a "field trip" with help from a big glass of beer and Stevie Nicks on the juke box.

The kids are a good mix of personalities once you get past the lack of confidence. Some fall into stereotypes, but they all have some memorable moments. Thankfully the film avoids the cute factor and gives the kids some real character.

Mike White’s script and Richard Linklater’s directing move this film along at a quick pace to match the thumping bass beats of the classic rock soundtrack that accompanies it. Even if you aren’t a fan of rock you’ll still love this movie because of the performances.

DVD extras are many and include various audio commentaries, music videos, video diaries, and an interactive feature on Dewey Finn’s history of rock.

Written by: John Neal

Reviewers Rating: 9
Reader's Rating: 8.95
Reader's Votes: 19

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