In a word: Unique

Rating: 10/10 (27 May 2007)

Director Richard Linklater is no stranger to making odd,interesting and even delightful films. Slacker,Dazed and Confused,Before Sunrise are films that come to my mind in regards to films he's helmed that fit that category. This one ranks right up there,if not top them all.
A boozy,unemployed,disbanded rock musician Dewey Finn(Jack Black,born to take command of a movie like this!)assumes his put-upon roomy Ned's identity and takes a job as a substitute teacher at a prep school and decides,in order to cover up his lack of credentials,to teach what he knows,and what he knows is rock 'n roll. Little by little,he gets the kids,who are all to a one bright and to varying degrees bored or under-inspired,to get in on a class project to form a rock band and take part in a "Battle of the BAnds" contest,to which Dewey desperately wants to break through.
A whole cast of kids(for whom I will not name each,since there are so many and I am,well...lazy)play their roles not cute or to mug for the camera,playing themselves honestly and,to my thinking,maybe the best element of this already finely crafted show. And that's to take nothing away from the adults here,particularly Black,Mike White(as Dewey's put-upon roomy and one-time band-mate Ned),SArah Silverman(as Ned's shrewish girlfriend)and Joan Cusack(priceless as the repressed fuddy-dudy who runs the school). There aren't,I'd estimate,that many films out there like this one:namely,a smart movie that deals in current themes and consists of kids. My suggestion:check this film out and find out for yourself.