Genre: Comedy, Suspense, Satire, Police, Farce
Tagline: Take notes
Plot: Hell-raising guitarist Dewey Finn (Jack Black) is anti-establishment to the hilt, irreverent to the max, and he worships the power of rock and roll. With a penchant for stage-dives and 20-minute solos, Dewy is determined to lead his rock group to victory at the local Battle of the Bands.. .but his band mates fire him instead.Down-and-out, in need of rent money and wallowing in his apartment strewn with take-out containers, Dewey picks up a phone call intended for his roommate Ned (Mike White), and impulsively accepts a job as a substitute teacher at the prestigious Horace Green Elementary School. There, by-the-book Principal Mullins (Joan Cusack) watches his every move like a hawk. But while Dewey might not have a clue how to teach, he does know how to inspire confidence in his young fifth graders. And when he accidentally overhears them performing in an orchestra class, he decides to mold these young musical prodigies into a high-voltage rock band, which will change their lives
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 School of Rock is rated PG-13 for rude humor and drug references, but both are rather mild and inoffensive. Director Richard Linklater delivers a family film that is hilarious, honest and inherently good-natured that will appeal to moviegoers of all ages.  --Guylaine Cadorette (Hollywood.com)
It's Sister Act meets Dangerous Minds, with the most galling qualities of both in bas-relief. The School of Rock doesn't have anything interesting to say or do. It's pure saccharine inspiration with occasional bursts of failed comic relief and a few exceptionally choreographed and executed rock numbers.  --James Berardinelli (ReelViews)
When an aging wannabe guitar god somehow becomes the fifth-grade teacher at a ritzy private school, he rocks their world -- and, improbably, ours.--Andrew O'Hehir (Salon)
Jack Black is a living, breathing, sweating advertisement for the transformative power of rock 'n' roll, in "The School of Rock," the first kid movie that parents will like more than their children. --Roger Ebert (Chicago Sun-Times)
Director Richard Linklater does a nice job of putting it all together, giving the film the underlying sweetness that will make the audience leave with a smile on their face. B--Craig Younkin (Lee's Movie Info)
By the time School of Rock is over, we know the flick won’t win any awards, but in terms of solid Friday or Saturday night comedies, it certainly does the job well. B--Lee Tistaert (Lee's Movie Info)
Despite its flaws, this film glitters throughout. This is Black’s showcase and he makes the most of it. B+--Chris Faile (FilmJerk.com)
“School of Rock” works wonderfully because Black’s Dewey Finn is not just a goofy parody, but a man with a genuine affection for rock that can’t be too far removed from Black himself.--Jamey Hughton (MovieViews)
Linklater and screenwriter Mike White got the two most crucial decisions right: casting Black in the movie and having him play off kids who are his exact opposite.--Ron Weiskind (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
Without a doubt, School of Rock has got to be one of the best times at a movie I've had this year (which admittedly has been pretty sparse of fun times so far), and is defiantly worth your cash and your time. 8/10--'Greg C.' (Movie-Vault.com)
School of Rock is a movie about, well, I guess you could say it's about getting a second chance. But it's really about what happens when rock 'n' roll meets 10-year old's in this highly entertaining romp of a movie.  --Brian Gallagher (MovieWeb)
If I were still alive, I'd tell my parents to go see it, and wouldn't feel guilty about watching them spend more of their retirement fund on diluted crap."All you need is One Great Show." That's what the combination of Jack Black, Mike White, and Dick Linklater bring to the table. One great show. It's not an award-winning epic, nor is it to be used as a means of solidifying your faith in cinema. It's simply a funcore flick flung out in well-choreographed beats of energy.  --B. Alan Orange (MovieWeb)
The gods of rock command you: See this movie!  --Derek May (MovieWeb)
“The School of Rock” got heart and wit, it’s got a simple but effective script and direction that doesn’t call attention to itself but that gets the most out of all the laughs, and it’s got a dynamo of a lead performance that will bust guts and melt faces! It’s a JackBlacksterpiece. --Kevin N. Laforest (Montreal Film Journal)
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Craig Wedren
Roger Dodger, Wet Hot American Summer, Laurel Canyon |
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| In Richard Linklater's "School of Rock," Jack Black gives the best performance by an actor I didn't care if I ever saw again. --Jack Mathews (New York Daily News)
In the end, I wouldn't say that there's much about this film that will blow people's minds away, other than the fantastic performance by Jack Black, but the story is pleasant enough to keep you interested throughout, with the endearing kids, the emphasison rock 'n roll and the lack of overtly sexual or disgusting repartee making sure that it remains enjoyable for one and all. 7/10--'JoBlo' (JoBlo.com)
Genuinely hilarious comedy with a performance of blistering comic genius from Jack Black. --Matthew Turner (ViewLondon)
"School of Rock" is a well-conceived film that will please the masses, as long as older moviegoers who don't enjoy dark humor know enough to stay at home and stick to "Saved by the Bell."--Peter Hartlaub (San Francisco Chronicle)
Light, fun rock movie smoothes over old formula.--Jeffrey M. Anderson (San Francisco Examiner)
More 'The Great Rock and Roll Swindle' than 'Rock and Roll Highschool', this shameless, laugh-free Jack Black vehicle reveals that it really is a long way to the top if you wanna rock and roll. 3/10--Anton Bitel (Movie Gazette)
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