That ol' Black Magic

Rating: Null/10 (13 May 2004)

The classroom provides one with a space within which to mold, to sculpt, to aid in the brilliant development of young minds. It gives one the inside view of a child's world and the yearning to learn. It can also unconventionally provide one with the chance to rebel against the stifling conduct code of a private preparatory school and form a rock band. O, but the classroom is a noble place and Jack Black proves himself king yet again.
Black is back with the most adorable, sickeningly sweet vengeance. Black stars as ne'er do well, ever-hopeful-for-fame-à-la-Led-Zeplin, Dewey Finn. After being kicked out of his own band, he is on the way to being thrown from his apartment by the girlfriend of his friend and former band member Ned Schneebly (Mike White, also the film's writer). Sarah Silverman is Ned's nagging girlfriend and hits the nail of playing an annoying wench on the head.
Cash is now first and foremost on Finn's mind - well, second and secondmost as rocking out is always prevalent. So he underhandedly takes a substitute teaching job at a prestigious school run by a sterile tyrant, Principal Rosalie Mullins as portrayed by the mouthy, hilarious Joan Cusack. Before long, Finn discovers the amazing musical talent of his students and like any rock obsessed teacher would, devises a plan to create a rock band comprised of the classically trained pre-teen guitarists, pianists, percussionists and vocalists in hopes of enrolling them in a Battle of the Bands competition.
The humor is heaped forth as Finn and the students desperately try to maintain the secret of their percussive in-school practices and off campus rehearsals. Though Black is, per usual, energetically entertaining with all of his facial contortions, flailing about with his air guitar and tacky grunge ensembles, the children put up a fair fight for screen time. Their genuine, naïve humor is revitalizing and their musical talent - dee-lish. It should be noted that all of the child actors performed their own musical instruments and sang their own vocals.
School of Rock is a playground flick with plenty of those highly sought Jack Blackisms, classic rock, talented juveniles, original numbers, and feel good musicality.