Starring: Jack Black Joan Cusack Mike White Sarah Silverman ... and lots of kids
Directed by: Richard Linklater
Written by: Mike White
Release date: 3rd October 2003
Running time: 108 mins
Given the heave ho by his metal band, Dewey Finn has lost the only thing he had going for him in his life. Dewey lives to rock. So when he manages to sneak his way into a temp teaching job, he finds his new band... the kids he's supposed to be teaching. Dewey teaches them everything they need to know about Rock, and learns a couple of things from them along the way.
Until this film, there was some doubt that Jack Black could front a film himself. Previously excelling in supporting roles such as his part in High Fidelity, Black had dabbled with headlining his own film with mixed results (Shallow Hal anyone).
The way to put those doubts to rest comes in the form of long time friend Mike White writing a part where every detail was written with Black in mind. Dewey Finn is Jack Black. Jack Black is Dewey Finn. He can't get this wrong.
There's nothing particularly surprising about School of Rock. It follows the classic formula of hesitant mentor teaching life lessons and learning from his charges at the same time. The inevitable busting of his scam all leading to a glorious and character defining big finish. But School of Rock knows that it's that kind of film and doesn't try to be anything that it's not. With that firmly in mind, what results is one of the funnest films of it's kind.
With a comic styling that deftly weaves Blacks unique brand of manic improv into a steady rate of well written jokes, School of Rock grabs you within the first 5 minutes, never lets up, and then somehow finds another gear for the triumphant last act... just like a great rock show.
And although all the adult leads are on fine comic form, it's the kids that gel the entire film. Instead of going for stereotypes, School of Rocks kids are all unique personalities, and really talented musicians. The chemistry between these kids and Jack Black (the biggest kid of the lot) is spot on, with both sides being respectful of the others talents and the spotlight is dutifully shared.
With a classic rock soundtrack, this is guaranteed to make you at the very least laugh, feel good and maybe even pick up a guitar.
Great family fun and worthy of several viewings School of Rock is now the benchmark for all future films of it's kind.
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
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Comedy - Original Language: English - Classification: 12 years and over - Starring: Tessa Peake-Jones, Buster Merryfield, David Jason, Nicholas Lyndhurst
Turbo-charged comic Jack Black shakesSchool of Rockto its foundations, wailing with ... more
born-again metalhead passion as Dewey Finn, a guitarist who gets kicked out of a band because he grandstands too much--or, to put it another way, enjoys himself. Throug...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Turbo-charged comic Jack Black shakesSchool of Rockto its foundations, wailing with ... more
born-again metalhead passion as Dewey Finn, a guitarist who gets kicked out of a band because he grandstands too much--or, to put it another way, enjoys himself. Throug...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
![School Of Rock [DVD] [2004]](http://picnicb.ciao.com/uk/78520567.jpg "School Of Rock [DVD] [2004]")
Jul 9th, 2009
very helpful by (100%):
