If you don't love this movie... You might not have a soul.

Rating: 10/10 (3 February 2005)

This movie as a bunch of little kids in it... And they play rock 'n' roll. Can anyone argue against that? Anyone who does looks like Ebeneezer Scrooge! "School of Rock," quite simply, combines the most joyous parts of rock 'n' roll music, a little bit of satire from Spinal Tap (perhaps), and a genuinely touching rock story about following your dreams -- from Almost Famous.
The three films I just named are at a ridiculous, stupid three-way tie for my favorite non-foreign language, non-documentary, major studio movie of all time. It's just that simple. You have Richard Linklater, unarguably the most versatile director living today, and Mike White, who is proving himself to be an insufferably clever screenwriter. Maybe not brilliant, but he's got some solid screenplays under his belt, and he works really well with Jack Black.
Sure, if I put a comment like this on "Mulholland Drive" (like many idiots have) or some other silly (yet admittedly enjoyable) art-house movie, I might seem way more sophisticated; and if I put a comment like on "Control Room" (which I really like as a journalistic documentation) I'd seem more intelligent. I'm also pretty sure that if I qualified foreign language movies and put Wong Kar Wai's "In the Mood for Love" or Jean-Jacques Beineix's "Betty Blue" on my list, I'd look way, way cooler. But who cares? There is so much joy to be had in this movie, it's impossible not to smile while watching it. In fact, I was so filled with joy when I first saw it, I honestly cried. That's how much I love this movie.