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School of Rock (Full Screen Edition)

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"School Of Rock" is nothing less than the feel-good movie of the year. It's fitting that the movie is filled with blatant AC/DC worship, because it's very much like one of that band's albums: it's excessive and often lowbrow, but you can't help but enjoy it because it's so full of energy and enthusiasm. And most importantly of all, it doesn't take itself too seriously. Whether intentionally or not, director Richard Linklater and co. deal a major backhanded slap to all the sissified nu-metal and post-grunge "sensitive guy" bands currently dominating the airwaves, reminding us all that rock music is supposed to be fun and ultimately uplifting.

First of all, if "School Of Rock" doesn't make Jack Black a star, nothing will. Black gives one of the most lovably over-the-top performances in history as Dewey Finn, an aspiring metal musician who poses as his friend Ned in order to get a substitute teaching job at a posh elementary school. From the opening scene at a rock club, where Dewey launches into a frenzied guitar solo, whips off his shirt, and attempts a stage dive into an apathetic crowd, Black is a whirlwind of manic energy. Much like Jim Carrey, Black doesn't just play the demented role: he means it, and the authenticity he brings to the movie makes all the diference. Quick, think of another guy who could pull off the role this well. This is Black's show, and he knows it.

When Dewey takes a position teaching the uptight children of uptight parents, the stage is set for a classic fish-out-of-water comedy. Many of the movies' funniest moments come early on, when the overweight, disheveled Dewey and his privileged students can't quite figure out what to make of each other. The plot? Realizing that some of his students have musical talent, Dewey, under the guise of a school project, gets them to start up a rock outfit to compete at the local battle of the bands. Along with the way he teaches them plenty about the history of rock and its value for, among other things, "fighting the man." Naturally, the kids, their parents, and the school's principal (played by Joan Cusack, who would steal the movie if Black didn't), all learn valuable lessons about taking chances and enjoying life.

This plot may sound rather hackneyed, but "School Of Rock" doesn't succeed by avoiding cliches; it succeeds my embracing them with all the vigor and passion of Dewey playing a guitar solo. The movie's overbearing earnestness, which I typically find to be more of a turnoff than a woman with bigger muscles than me, turns out to be its greatest asset. The reason? Because "School Of Rock" conveys the too-often-forgotten lesson that people need to lighten up, and rock music has long been a valuable device for doing just that. At its heart, the film's message is simple but enormously effective: that Rock 'n' Roll really just might be able to change the world.

It all comes to a head in the film's monster conclusion, with Dewey donning an Angus Young-styled schoolboy uniform for the Battle of the Bands. Black absolutely owns the stage in this scene; there's no way the image of him performing won't be indelibly etched in the minds of all who see it. If you know your stuff, you can also see the nods to Yes and The Clash in the kids' attire. The song the band performs, fittingly titled "School Of Rock," is a lot like the movie itself: it's filled with rock cliches, but its youthful rebellion and energy more than make up for it. It certainly beats much of what's on the radio today, just as the movie beats much of what's in your local multiplex. Sometimes good intentions and inspired acting can carry a film, and "School of Rock" is one such example.

Despite some of the various plot holes and implausibilities, this is Jack Black's shining moment (as well as other child actors) and crowning achievement. I enjoyed this film partly because Jack Black and the makers of the film seem to have an obvious appreciation for classic rock/hard rock/metal that was missing from recent Hollywood failures like Rock Star. References abound to Yes, Rush, Led Zeppelin, even Iron Maiden abound in this movie. Jack Black is hilarious as a burned out early 30 something rocker turned substitute teacher, and his usual mannerisms and inflections are used to humorous effect.
The film is inspiring, funny, even a bit "cute" in a family film sort of way. However these more "cutesy" themes are transcended with the wit of the dialogue and some of the more adult situations in the film. It isn't EXACTLY a kid's movie, but could be seen with probably younger preteens, in my eyes it appeals to adults more. Ironically, I was the age of the kids in the movie when I first got into hard rock and heavy metal! I wish I had gone to somewhere like the School of Rock!

School of Rock is a great movie with perfect Jack Black and an excellent supporting cast, most of them kids. Dewie Finn gets kicked out of his band and must find a way to pay the rent. When he intercepts a phone call for his substitute teacher roommate, Ned, Dewie decides to take the job. At first, he has no idea what to do, but when he discovers the kids in the class are great musicians, he decides to turn them into a band. Along the way, Dewie gets to know them all while also teaching them the history of rock. This is a great movie that surprisingly can be seen by the whole family. Jack Black has never been better, and the kids are amazing. If nothing else, the soundtrack is great with plenty of Led Zeppelin, The Clash, Black Sabbath and so much more.

Jack Black is perfectly cast as Dewie Finn, the down on his luck musician who takes a job as a substitute teacher. His eyebrows and facial expressions could not be done by anyone else. Joan Cusack is also very good as Principal Mullins, who tries to keep her school in order. Mike White and Sarah Silverman also star as Ned, Dewie's roommate, and his evil girlfriend. The real stars of this movie are the kids in Dewie's class. They are all incredible performers as well as pretty good actors. With all these things combined, School of Rock is a can't miss movie. For a great movie with hilarious Jack Black, check out School of Rock!

"Formulated"......"Predictable"......"Unoriginal" These are all words you may have heard to describe this film, and I wouldn't argue any of them. Let me tell you though, you could also describe this film as "fun"..."energetic"...and "factual".

The basis of the story is simple. The Belushi-influenced Jack Black plays Musician/loser Dewey Finn. Dewey just got kicked out of his band for being too maniacal and unpredictable, and he's about to be kicked out of his best friend Ned's apartment for being a lazy freeloader. It just so happens that Ned is a substitute teacher, and when Ned gets a call for some work, Dewey answers the phone and accepts the job for himself. Being the furthest thing from a teacher, he tells his class to have recess all day, and teaches his kids about "the man". As he feverishly refers to all authority as "the man", he says "There used to be a way to stick it to 'the man', but 'the man' ruined that too with MTV!" Then he sees his kids in their music class. He has a classically trained guitarist, a classically trained pianist, a percussionist, and a cello player in his midst, and he then gets an idea. He wants music class all day instead of recess. He teaches his guitarist to play classics like "Iron Man", "Smoke On The Water", and "Highway To Hell". He tells his piano player to play The Doors "Touch Me". He absurdly convinces his cellist that the cello is the exact same thing as a bass guitar when it's tipped on its side. Dewey has plans to enter the Battle Of The Bands contest and win some rent money, and he's going to do it with these kids.
Yes, it is predictable. It is also a similar plot to many other teen comedies of the past. The biggest difference between this film and its predecessors, is its intensity and accurate rock knowledge savvy. Jack Black is a power load as Dewey, a real high voltage entity here. As he states in the film, "Rock is about the passion", and his passion and knowledge of rock is so eminent throughout the film. He makes the difference in this film. You just want to stand up and cheer as he hands his keyboard player Yes, and tells him to listen to the solo on "Roundabout". He eloquently informs the timid pianist that the solo will "blow the classical music out your butt". He continues with his drummer, by telling him to listen to Rush - "2112", and informs him that Neil Peart is one of the greatest drummers of all time...."study up". For his guitarist he has Hendrix's "Axis: Bold As Love", and for his backup singer he assigns a listen to "Dark Side Of The Moon"'s vocal solo on "Great Gig In The Sky". I couldn't have done it better myself.
Great moments just fill the time here. When Black asks the class "What's Rock all about?", he gets answers like "scoring chicks" and "getting wasted", both of which he replied an emphatic "NO!" to. He then gets the answer he was looking for, and that's "sticking it to the man". Rock is about breaking the rules, and standing up to "the man". Nice work, Mr. Black.
Early in the movie he asks the kids about their knowledge of legendary bands such as Led Zeppelin. They all look dumbfounded, and have no clue what language he's speaking. He continues to spit forth names, "....Sabbath......AC/DC........MOTORHEAD!!!!!", all of which are foreign to these kids. This is the point where he establishes time slots for teaching "Rock appreciation" and "Rock theory" classes. This is great stuff.

If you want to see a factual, fun, and light hearted movie with some great Rock 'N' Roll.......go rent, or better yet, buy this one.

For more Dr. (...)

I really had heightened expectations for "School of Rock," because I tend to really like movies where people find an excuse to get up and play songs. Besides, there was such good word of mouth on this film as well and I liked Jack Black's performance at the end of "Shallow Hall." This time around Black plays Dewey Finn, who has been kicked out of the rock band he created because he tends to confuse his commitment to the power of rock 'n' roll with the gratification of his own ego. He cons his way into a gig as a substitute teacher for a fifth-grade class at a private school and as soon as he finds out some of these kids can actually play instruments he start turning them into a rock band. The goal is to go head-to-head with his old group and beat them into the ground at the upcoming Battle of the Bands. He also gives his cherubs an education in rock, mainly because he is so appalled at their lack of knowledge.

Granted, there is a certain predictability to the plot here, but "School of Rock" does not fall into a similar trap with the characters. Dewey does not get changed in the process as much as have his eyes opened to what is happening when you really collaborate in creating music and playing in a band. In simpler terms, he starts practicing what he has been preaching. As for the kids, they follow their rock 'n' roll Pied Piper's lead but they also are more than willing to stand up and get in Dewey's face.

I actually wanted more of a rock education for the viewing audience. There is a nice little scene where Dewey has laid out a constellation chart of rock groups on the board, but instead of hearing him lecture we get the music on the soundtrack turned up loud. Old viewers will of course recognize the names that Dewey drops throughout the film, but I kept thinking it would be nice if there were a few choice instances where Dewey drove home a couple of key points to the kidlets. In other words, do with words what is done with music when Dewey teaches the kid who plays guitar the riffs for "Sunshine Of Your Love," "Iron Man," and "Smoke on the Water," or the keyboard player the opening of "Touch Me."

You can guess what is happening at the end, but that does not take away from the overall sense of fun, especially for younger viewers who will enjoy the fact the kids are all doing their own singing and playing. I have just been comparing such musical grand finales to the end of "Uptown Girls," and I find this one to be okay (the song was not up to the kids). There are some efforts to take advantage of Joan Cusack playing the head of the school, but she really is underutilized (I was expecting more off of the Stevie Nicks reference). These things just underscore not only that "School of Rock" could have been better but that we really would have liked this 2003 film to have made it all the way to the next level.

Jack Black is the star of the hit movie, "School of Rock". He plays an unemployed rock musician named Dewey Finn who is abruptly dumped by his band before a big performance. Dewey has an encyclopedic knowledge of rock music, which is his life's passion. Unfortunately, he has no income, and he is on the verge of being tossed out on the street by his long-suffering friend, Ned, for not paying his rent. Desperate for a buck, Dewey poses as Ned to get a substitute-teaching gig in a fancy prep school.

Sounds logical, right? Try this on for size. Dewey knows nothing about teaching, so he organizes his tightly wound and upwardly mobile students into a rock band. The versatile Joan Cusack plays the buttoned-down and intense principal, Rosalie Mullins, who is oblivious to the raucous sounds emanating from Dewey's classroom.

Why does "School of Rock" work, considering that it is so preposterous? First of all, the director, Richard Linklater, tailored the movie around the special talents of the manic Jack Black. Black's uninhibited acting style is perfect for this role and his unbridled enthusiasm helps the audience to go with the flow. Not for one second did I believe that any of the goings-on in this movie could happen in our galaxy, but I laughed so hard that my stomach hurt. The physical comedy is marvelous. The children who play Dewey's students are appealing. There are even several touching scenes, especially one in which Dewey encourages a heavy-set student to accept herself the way she is and to be proud of her considerable talent.

"School of Rock" has plenty of conventional elements, but the far from conventional Jack Black is an absolute hoot. Put your brain on hold and be prepared for a rocking good time when you see the entertaining and lively "School of Rock".

I had no intention of seeing this movie. But the trailers intrigued me and the reception at the Toronto Film Festival along with an "A" grading from ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY made me curious enough to go and see it. The only time I've seen Jack Black previously was in SHALLOW HAL and I anticipated that he was going to be the same type of character and kind of a jerk, that the movie would be filled with sight gags and corny jokes. Not so.

The humor in this movie comes from the illogical and highly improbable premise of a down-on-his-luck rock musician faking it as a substitute teacher at a prestigious private school. Learning that these kids are learning to play classical music, he gets the idea of teaching them the principles of rock music, and the movie goes from there. The rock musician is definitely an intelligent individual, not a stumblebum or jerk. Actually, he is one who lives for rock music, who has almost a religious fervor for the music and for performing it. And Jack Black is surprisingly good in portraying this.

Bottom line: I liked it. It's an unpretentious and fun type comedy that I honestly recommend.

School of Rock is a loudly amusing good time that parents will enjoy as much as their children. Director Richard Linklater (Dazed and Confused, Waking Life) in association with Paramount Pictures have put together a film that will have you rooting for its' anti-hero Dewey Finn (Jack Black) to "overcome the Man" and succeed in his quest for rock and roll recognition.

Dewey, a rock star wannabe, finds himself kicked out of the band that he started and about to be kicked out of his apartment, when lady luck steps in and offers him an opportunity to get things back on track again. This opportunity comes in the form of having to pretend that he's his roommate Ned Schneebly (Mike White) in order to take a job as a substitute teacher at a prestigious boarding school. After duping the concerned principle (Joan Cusack), he is allowed to take over a classroom of fifth graders. Finding himself ill prepared for the position, he shows no interest in teaching the kids until one day he finds that many are accomplished musicians. This discovery leads him towards the possibility of creating a new band from them that will help him to gain the elusive award given at a battle of the bands competition that he so richly desires. This is where the real fun begins as he takes on teaching his new curriculum Music 111: "All Things that Rock" to a less than interested bunch of kids.

This film merits four out of five stars. This rating comes from the film's ability to instill a breath of fresh air to the comedy genre due to its' unique subject matter. Mike White also deserves special credit for writing a script that allows Jack Black to display his range of comedic and musical skills. Lastly, one can not overlook the contributions from the class of fifth graders, who at many times steal the scenes from the main characters.

Dewey Finn is a 30-something slacker with aspirations of being in a successful rock band but who can't seem to make it happen. His latest collaborators have just kicked him out, so he spends his time sleeping and eating, until he intercepts a phone call meant for his roommate, who works as a substitute teacher. When he finds out how much the job pays, he decides to fake his way into it, intending to slack off some more and pick up a paycheck. Then he happens to catch the students at band practice, and discovers that his perfect rock band might be sitting right under his nose.

Even though I really like most of Richard Linklater's films (WAKING LIFE, BEFORE SUNRISE, TAPE), I had no plans to see this one originally for a couple reasons: 1. I don't much care for kids in my films. 2. I don't much care for Jack Black; though he is amusing in smaller roles (HIGH FIDELITY) I was pretty sure he'd be intolerable as a central character. But recently I saw the trailer and thought it looked like it might be kind of funny, so I decided to give it a chance. It was much better than I expected. Black keeps his manic act under control for the most part, and is quite entertaining (and his character becomes surprisingly likable once he gets his act together.) The kids are - dare I say it? - actually charming. And the script by Mike White (THE GOOD GIRL) is smart and funny.

This film, which features a cast of nine to eleven year-olds, is rated PG-13 for "rude humor and drug references." They say "ass" a few times and the "drug references" must have been so vague that I can't even remember any. A beer is sipped gingerly at a restaurant, and Dewey mentions that he has a hangover on the first day of class. Oh, I know what it was; Dewey says that one of the other teachers "must be on crack." Anyway, you'd have to be insanely uptight to worry about any of these things. I have no qualms about recommending this as a family film, an intelligent one that both kids and adults will enjoy because it doesn't talk down to either. It's also a genuine feel-good movie, not in the fake, sugary way that makes you feel like throwing up. It has a real heart, and even a little subversive edge to it.

The DVD contains numerous extras including two commentary tracks (one with Black and Linklater which is moderately interesting, and one with the kids which is extremely annoying), behind the scenes footage, film festival footage, trailers, and a video plea they made to try to convince Led Zeppelin to let them use one of their songs.

You may not like Jack Black -- he is always too noisy, and often too annoying. And in "School of Rock" he never changes -- the same old JB, who hangs around in your room only with underwear, who doesn't pay his share of rent. But "School of Rock" is a different thing. He is still loud, OK, but this time that makes the film better than you expect.

Because you know this guy Dewey Finn played by Jack Black, after all, turns out a charming fellow among the likable kids. JB's Dewey, in need of ready cash, disguises himself as a substitute teacher in a posh prep school (run by uptight principle Joan Cusack) and instead of math, he "teaches" the spirit of rock'n'roll to the children. Of course, it won't take long before they enter the Battle of Bands, leading us to rousing finale.

You may not like Jack Black's character at first, but as the film goes on, he starts to show unexpected side to his personality. The monetary motive turns into genuine passion, and that is no news in Hollywood, but it is rarely done with such an energetic and hilarious performance as that from the leading actor.

The kids not only can play the instruments, but also they can act, and many of them are given due moments to impress us. Also great is Joan Cusack's comic acting, perhaps better than that of the sexually repressed fiancee in "In & Out." Now her character here has something repressed deep inside -- which is again related to music. Her turn (supported by a glass of beer in a bar) is simply wonderful.

The script by Mike White ("Chuck and Buck") who was JB's next-door neighbor knows how to extrect the better side of Jack Black's super-turbo comic turn. and though the story is not particularly unique, the result is a great success, especially when it shows the relations between the "teacher" and the students. And director Richard Linklater ("Tape" and many others) does not show his trademark off-beat feelings -- his handling of the material is surprisingly traditional, and that also helps greatly.

And most of all, this film is good-hearted, and is not afraid of showing that on its sleeve. You can enjoy watching it with the good soundtrack, and when JB tries to teach the kids the riff of "Iron Man" and many 70s classic rock, you can feel his love of music.