The School of Rock

Reviewed by George O. Singleton

HHH

Cast

Jack Black Dewey Finn

Joan Cusack Principal Mullins

Mike White Ned

Sarah Silverman Patty

Directed by Richard Linklater. A comedy with music. Rated PG-13 for some crude humor and drug references. Paramount Pictures. Running time: 108 minutes.

Long way to the top

Dewey (Jack Black) is kicked out of the band he founded because he's an embarrassment, with his 20-minute solos and dives into the audience from the stage. He doesn't pay his share of the rent with long time friend Ned (Mike White) and Ned's girlfriend Patty (Sarah Silverman). In the quest for his rock band to hit the big time, he's always broke. So when Dr. Mullins (Joan Cusack), the principal of the exclusive Horace Green Prep school, calls with a substitute teaching assignment for Ned, Dewey pretends to be Ned and accepts.

Dewey's idea of teaching is a permanent recess for the students. Their regular teacher has them motivated for academic excellence, which is also indicated by the $15,000 tuition. Desperate for money, Dewey gets the idea during band rehearsal that these kids could win the $20,000 prize in the battle of the bands. Soon each student has a gig in a band on tour. Some play instruments, others sing, while the rest work as the road crew, security, groupies and road manager. A camera scans the halls, on the lookout for Dr. Mullins, and rolled up material is used to sound proof the band room, so they are able to practice playing rock music ¾ undetected. The kids go along with it because they think it's for a competitive class project.

Musically, Black starts this film where he ended in "High Fidelity," on the stage. His motivational role toward the kids is reminiscent of Meryl Streep in "Music of the Heart." Kids have issues with parents, self-esteem, weight, etc. You know that by the end of the movie, the band will be on stage giving a rousing performance with their self-esteem intact and improved parental relationships.

Just about every time you think you know where the film is headed, Jack Black's inspired performance elevates the film. The man can carry a scene. He has the on stage presence of a top rocker. Most amazing is what he can do with just an idea and a guitar. He creates music instantly when the kids let loose with what makes them mad, such as "chores" or "bullies." Being mad at "the man" is an important source of inspiration for rock, rap and hip-hop.

Joan Cusack's performance captures a woman who has all the right moves of an East Coast blue blood with a repressed desire to sing like Stevie Nix and party like the groupies in "Almost Famous." Jack Black is over the top without going completely off the deep end…a hard act to pull off.

You pull for the kids and you wonder about Ned's waffling friendship with Dewey. Tying it all together is the intelligent directing by Linklater (Waking Life).