a personal review

Rating: 7/10 (28 February 2004)

School of Rock,is the latest from Richard Linklater. I have always felt that Linklater had a political undertone in the majority of his movies. If you look back at Newton Boys, Slacker and (obviously) Waking Life (even the discussions of Before Sunrise) a pattern develops. Rebels, social discontents, philosophical think tanks all pointing to dissent by any means to deconstruct an absurdly founded world. The man who brought back the art of conversation to film and managed to give the library hermits and coffee junkies something to talk about. Now the man takes a swim into the main stream. Some would say he has already but I don't know them. School of Rock is just that to the audience, a brief history of an idea. Rebellion is it's own form of justice and it's pointed towards anyone who finds no satisfaction in the money offered for the collar. I find it sad that in this age of Hot Topic and superficiality some people may get nothing out of this movie. Jack Black obviously has the message, his performance is convincing yet overly rambunctious at times. He was the mainstream lure but he is no poser. The 13 rating I felt was a limitation and could have been done with a solid R, but this was not a message for adults only. However for it to be kid friendly the price is it must be conservative parent friendly, hence the unsettling mind bending ending of smiling parents. The kids are good actors for what of being. But what the movie is, is a reminder to those that know and a message for those listening that the revolution can still have a soundtrack.