The School of Rock Review
by Marshall Garvey (hunter48 AT goodpeopleunite DOT com)October 9th, 2003
"School of Rock" (2003)
Review by Marshall Garvey
Rating (0 to 5): ***1/2 Grade (no pun intended): B+ Starring Jack Black (Dewey Finn), Joan Cusack (Principal Rosalie Mullins), Mike White (Ned Schneebly), Joey Gaydos (Zack), Kevin Alexander Clark (Kevin), Miranda Cosgrove (Summer), Robert Tsai (Lawrence), Maryam Hassan (Tomika)
Directed by Richard Linklater
Produced by Scott Rudin
Written by Mike White
Original music by Craig Wedren
Paramount Pictures
108 minutes
Rated PG-13 for some rude humor and drug references (Fine for kids 11 and up)
"School of Rock" is like two movies rolled into one. The first half is a comedy, livened by the antics of Jack Black and his students. The second half is a devotion to rock, abound with references to everyone from The Who to AC/DC and an obvious peak at Black's love for music. As a comedy, the film is typically moralistic and a little over the top at times, but paired with some fun rock numbers and a group of highly talented kids, director Richard Linklater (of "Before Sunrise" fame) is able to bring out the best of this 108 minute picture, which maintains a good balance between being both fun and funny and left me and my family with a potent feeling of satisfaction when we left.
In the film, Black plays Dewey Finn, a rock obsessed loser who lives in the apartment of his friend Ned Schneebly (Mike White). Dewey owes nearly $22,000 in rent, which he promises to pay off once his band makes it big (which they never do). He tries his best to give the band a boost, such as ripping off his shirt and performing 20 minute Nigel Tufnelesque solos during gigs, but he's so pathetic that the other members kick him out. When Ned and his girlfriend try to convince Dewey to find a job and contribute to society, he replies, "I serve society by rocking." In reality, though, society would get along just fine without him.
While sitting at home alone one day, Dewey receives a call from a top-notch prep school asking for Ned, a substitute teacher, to fill in on short notice. Desperate for a job and some pay, he assumes Ned's role (and his name) and heads over to the school, run by the welcome but strict Principal Rosalie Mullins (Joan Cusack). When he arrives, Dewey hopes to keep it simple: give the kids recess all day and collect his paycheck for the rent. As it turns out, the students want to learn, not have recess. "My parents don't pay $15,000 a year for recess." Says Summer (Miranda Cosgrove). Dewey doesn't care, however, canning all of their subjects and tearing down the class star chart. But when he sees the kids in music class with piano, tubas, and cymbals, he runs down to his van, grabs his rock instruments, and sets up in the classroom.
When the students return, Dewey introduces their new subject: rock and roll. They're confused, and not a single one of them knows one bit about electric guitars or the Sex Pistols. But he insists, and divides the kids into different roles for the band. The shy pianist Lawrence (Robert Tsai) plays keyboard; Kevin (Kevin Alexander Clark), the cymbalist, is paired with a drum set; Zack (Joey Gaydos) is given lead guitar, Katie (Rebecca Brown) is on bass, and Summer is named manager. The rest of the kids take care of everything else, from security to avert Mullins to graphic design to naming the band.
But how does Dewey convince them? Simple: He tells them that there's a competition in which other schools will compete, and that winning it is a major standard (truthfully, it's a "Battle of the Bands" competition that offers a $20,000 prize). For homework, he assigns each student to listen to a CD, and regular class studies include rock and roll history and viewing tapes of Jimi Hendrix, Pete Townshend, and Angus Young perform famous onstage moves. This angers the parents, but when the kids finally perform at the competition, (surprise!) they rock everyone, and not just those onscreen: I myself was wowed by an ending that most might blame for being predictable, but is truthfully one of the highest points of the film.
"School of Rock" is best described as "Billy Madison meets This is Spinal Tap", and while it's not as funny as the latter and lacks the zip of the former (even while being superior to it), it yields many great comical moments, most of which come from Jack Black. Here he delivers an extremely likeable, satisfying, and (albeit sometimes fittingly) over the top performance, and he pairs with the kids so impeccably that we actually care for them as they battle their way to make it to the competition. What really won me was the younger cast's superb talent (one cast member, Joey Gaydos, has been playing guitar since he was 3) and the film's nonstop dedication to rock and roll. Joan Cusack also does an excellent job, and her character is even given some dimension (as it turns out, she once did a Stevie Nicks impersonation while drunk).
For the very few who walk into this film and don't catch the references, the charisma that Black and the kids secrete will undoubtedly make up for it (although you would admittedly have to be pretty blind to miss any of the tributes). All in all, "School of Rock" may not be "This is Spinal Tap", but if you're looking for some lighthearted fun, disappointment will be unlikely.
This review is purely of my doing, and I do not copy off other reviewers.
So, what does this rating system mean anyway?
*****-A masterpiece of filmmaking that should be seen at all costs ****1/2-A fabulous movie. An absolute must catch.
****-An excellent show. Be sure to see it.
***1/2-A good film. Recommended.
***-Decent movie that could be a lot better.
**1/2-Average movie with a number of flaws.
**-Pretty bad with a few saving graces.
*1/2-Bad. Don’t see it.
*-As much fun as having your seat kicked for two hours. 1/2-Just plain awful.
0-Death may come
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