Jack Black's in his element in exceptional 'School of Rock'

By Forrest Hartman
Reno Gazette-Journal

SCHOOL OF ROCK (PG-13) Four Stars (Good) "School of Rock," marries Jack Black's love for rock — as the leader of the hard-driving parody band Tenacious D — and his brilliant comedic chops. In this film, Black has come up with a character that seems a lot like himself. And that's a good thing. Richard Linklater directs. Paramount, 108 minutes.

"School of Rock," marries Black's love for rock — he's the leader of the hard-driving parody band Tenacious D — and his brilliant comedic chops. In this film, Black has come up with a character that seems a lot like himself. And that's a good thing.

Black plays Dewey Finn, a rock 'n' roll rebel who's never held a steady job. He's a good musician, but his 20-minute guitar solos and stage dives aren't met with enthusiasm. So his band mates boot him just weeks before an important battle of the bands. Already depressed, Dewey hits bottom when his roommate Ned, played perfectly by screenwriter White, tells him he needs rent money.

Dewey finds deliverance by answering the phone when the prestigious Horace Green Elementary school calls to offer Ned a substitute-teaching job. Dewey poses as Ned, accepts the job and ends up in the classroom wearing some really bad suits.

At first it's torture for Dewey and the students, but then he discovers that — thanks to years of classical music lessons — the kids are great musicians. Suddenly, he has a mission: to teach them to rock. Since ultra-conservative Principal Mullins (Joan Cusack) wouldn't be down with the new curriculum, Dewey must keep everything hush-hush, which adds to the fun.

The movie rolls along with the attitude of children's classics like "The Bad News Bears," that never talk down to the young viewers. Conservative parents may be offended by Black's propensity to say "kick ass," but I assure you that kids hear worse on the playground. And seldom do they get to enjoy movies that respect their astuteness.

It would be a stretch to call "School of Rock" sophisticated, but it is intelligent. The kids deliver honest performances, perhaps because most came from outside Hollywood and because Linklater was insistent on casting youngsters who could actually play their instruments. These kids do rock. Playing music inspired by the likes of AC/DC, they lay down enough crunchy, catchy riffs to make the soundtrack exciting and convince every 10-year-old to start a rock band. For his part, Black plays some of his own material written specifically for the movie.

Does "School of Rock" have a moral? Yes, but it isn't beaten into our heads as is so often the case. With subtlety, it preaches that freethinking is important, that inspiration doesn't always come from the expected source, and that hard work and loyalty can pay off.

Rated PG-13, with some crude humor and minor drug references.