Outstanding performance

Rating: 9/10 (22 December 2004)

I was never a Jack Black fan, but that was mostly because I wasn't all that familiar with him. But after this performance, he's near the top of my list. I shan't discuss the plot, since so many others here have. I'm here simply to make the case to any music lover - preferably, of course ROCK music - to see this immediately. First of all, the kids are all excellent actors. Some are better than others, of course, but overall the acting is great. The kids are also very good musicians, which is not surprising when you read their education resumes after the movie. Black's performance is superb, and it's obvious that he really took a liking to the kids, not just in his character but as the actor himself. The chemistry is magnificent, and the kids are a great bunch. I would love to see what these kids are doing in 10 years; right now they're all 12 or so, with entire careers ahead of them. I liked the writing, and the fact that the writer of the movie plays one of the main characters was a neat surprise. Sarah Silverman, of course, is gorgeous, and plays her role perfectly. One of the feel-good movies that everyone in a family could watch together, and that everyone should see - especially if it turns them away from hip hop and gets them on the ROCK tip!