Uneven but Humorous

Rating: 8/10 (5 January 2015)

This is a thoroughly-enjoyable romp that helps us to see that our individual talents and self-esteem are sometimes bolstered in unusual, or even very unusual, ways. The most humorous parts of this movie are the scenes which show both the skepticism and approval with which the students see their new teacher and his "curriculum".
"You are a fat loser.., and you have body odor!" one student rebels. Another states adamantly, "You're a joke! You're the worst teacher I've ever had."
Dewey Finn's plan to get these children to think for themselves and kick up their heels at authority works perfectly: Their latent talents and identities increase and improve as this most-ulikely-of-mentors utilizes their skills for his own selfish-though-understandable reason.
Although we never do find out why Dewey wasn't arrested at the school meeting, nor where the "soundproofing" that supposedly was put on the classroom walls went, we can forgive all this because of the movie's big heart. Jack Black carried off the madman/genius/slacker/overachiever as few could. The School of Rock, though somewhat uneven, even ungainly, is a humorous look at "what if".
The odd sequence at the end where we hear an AC/DC vamp being repeated ad-infinitum, appears to be a studio outtake, and is one of the weakest endings to a movie (by far) that I have awarded an "8" to that I have ever seen. The time and film should have been spent, instead, in showing a scene where Dewey's best friend, Ned, finally stands up to his controlling girlfriend, and perhaps the children assert themselves to their parents.
Of course, it wouldn't have hurt to have informed us how Dewey avoided charges of fraud, contributing to the delinquency of a minor (20 counts) and forgery (on job application).
We'd also like to know how the experience has changed Ross, the Principal. The movie deserves a better ending, and although I am tempted to detract one star because of it, I will not.
One scene that I hated was when Dewey went behind the Palace to fetch Zach. It was totally out-of-character when Dewey treated Zach like a dictator, and went all "high-and-mighty" on the members of the band that were playing cards with Zach. This scene lent to the unevenness of the movie.
Although I consider Orange County to be an overall better movie, School of Rock is unforgettable and one-for-the-books.