Laughed till I cried, then came back for more

Rating: 7/10 (27 January 2008)

The true test of a great movie is one that, months or years after its release, has me watching it again and again. School of Rock is just such a movie.
It never pretends to be anything more than it is: a lighthearted, feel-good comedy, one of those teacher-inspires-kids plots with a twist, sort of a Sister Act II with Jack Black instead of Whoopi Goldberg (a vast improvement if you ask me). Nothing we haven't seen or heard before, but a great script, some enthusiasm, kids with actual talent, and Jack Black's natural zaniness make this movie work. And you know what? It's actually funny. As in, really, really funny.
Jack Black is one of those actors who you can just wind up and let go with a script, and he'll take it to a whole new level. His enthusiasm is contagious, and the audience gets as caught up in it as the kids. Joan Cusack is laugh-out-loud funny in her role as the foil/school principal. And the music ain't half bad either.
Okay, so the plot is unrealistic, the movie's about as deep as a frat boy, and there is very little to learn here about the human condition. But here's a movie that doesn't promise anything other than to entertain. And entertain it does.