"How can you kick me out of what is MINE?"

Rating: Null/10 (6 April 2004)

"School of Rock" is a highly enjoyable musical comedy. Jack Black gives his best performance to date as a intensly passionate rocker who, after getting kicked out of the band that he formed, schemes his way into a substitute teaching gig at a prep school in order to pay his rent. When he finds out that the kids can play, he recruits them to be in his band in an attemp to win the local Battle of the Bands contest. What really makes this movie shine is not so much Jack Black the wild man, but rather his subtle comedic instincts. When put on the spot by the children to play his song to them in the classroom, he manages to get the full arrangement out with only his voice and mannerisms. With lyrics like, "in the end of time an artist led the way" the song itself is autobiographical, conceptual, melodic and hilarious. When doing the song later on with the children backing him, notice how he rolls his r's during the "and the legend of the RENT was way hardcore" line. This passionately pretensious moment is probably my favorite part in the whole movie. The child actors in the movie are also great, each and every one of them, and they can actually rock. They never come across as cute or cringy, which is a difficult feat to accomplish. Overall, the movie has a great energy throughout. Joan Cusack gives her usual great performance as the school principal. Instead of playing the voice of authority, her character is a misunderstood Stevie Nicks lover, who can't balance the pressure of her job with her desire to have fun. Go check this movie out. It's a timeless comedy that feels more like it was made in the 1980's, because comedy's of this caliber are too few and far between these days.