Amusing tribute to Rock is perfect, suitable, family movie. Will please fans of Rock and fans of Jack Black particularly.

Rating: 4/10 (13 July 2004)

Dewey Finn lives for rock, but his band fire him before the up-coming battle of the bands. He needs cash to pay rent back to his room-mate's evil girlfriend, so he decides to pose as his room-mate, and take one of his substitute teacher jobs. When he sees the munchkins are musicians, he gets the idea to teach them rock music, and maybe enter the battle of the bands as his band... it just might work!
From Richard Linklater (Dazed and Confused), Mike White (The Good Girl) and Jack Black (Shallow Hal), this amusing comedy really comes alive with the rapport between the kiddies and Jack Black. The scenes where they are discovering rock music are precious.
I can't believe how much energy Jack Black has. He's so prepared to take risks and seems not to care about embarrassing himself. He's totally over-the-top in School of Rock, but, luckily, it totally works. He's really the best thing that's happened to rock music in a long time. He really brings back the passion of the old rockers.
Fans of rock music will get the most joy from this, as will kids and fans of Jack Black. Its the perfect family movie - no swearing or anything unsuitable.
Plus, as fans of Linklater know, he utilises great classic songs of the past - and this one's no exception. Watch out for the scene in the van where Jack and the kiddies howl to Immigrant Song. Plus, the original songs are great, especially the title song played at the final concert.
7/10. I wouldn't watch it too often - the script is not hysterically funny, certainly not on a par with Mike White's The Good Girl, and its a little too slow. Many of the class-room scenes should have played out at virtually twice that speed. Too many unnecessary pauses and silences. I noticed it while watching a clip from the movie, and I felt it while watching the real thing.