Very likable

Rating: Null/10 (15 March 2004)

2003 was a year of likable rather than great movies, and 'The School of Rock' might be the most likable of them all. The concept plays almost like a remake of 'Sister Act,' with Jack Black's die-hard rock reactionary in place of Whoopi Goldberg's R&B lounge act, and cute li'l schoolkids in place of cute li'l nuns. It's really no more complex than that, but its good nature and genuine heart make it easy enough to swallow. Plus, it's got some terrific performances. Jack Black provides all the inspired 'Spinal Tap'-esquire silliness we expect (the improvised version of 'In the End of Time' before the class is just one blindingly good example), but his best moments actually are those in which we see his instinctive compassion for the kids he works with. The character, though simple, is a nice archetype: the gifted loser who finally manages to contribute something brilliant to the world, if not in the way he expected. If there's a touch of mad genius in his performance, it's matched by Joan Cusack, who always improves just about anything she's in--for a special treat, pay close attention to all the marvelous things she does with her hands here. And the children themselves are very well cast, with the band principals, Miranda Cosgrove, and Maryam Hassan perhaps standing out. When the end comes, we might feel momentarily disappointed at how routine it actually all was, but then we'll remember the individual moments and smile. Recommended. 8 out of 10.