School Of Rock | REVIEW

It's all about the metal, baby! Or in this case, it's all about the rock! Before I go on reviewing this gig, I want to say that my choice of music is metal, rock, and nothing more. Yes, I do get carried away by soundtracks to Lord Of The Rings, Batman Begins, Requiem For A Dream...but those aren't songs for daily listening. On a daily basis, it's always Killswitch or Atreyu or Airbourne or Wolfmother...so when I watch a movie like School Of Rock that has references to the greats like ACDC, Deep Purple, Motorhead, and The Who, I'm bound to have a good time. I'm not saying I don't like movies with hip-hop influences, but it's way easier to relate to something when you enjoy it on a daily basis. Like chocolate. We love chocolate. So when Willy Wonka takes Charlie and the kids to the chocolate factory, we're burning with envy because we, too, want to wallow and bathe in gallons of free chocolate. I wish Cadbury had their own Willy Wonka. *Sigh*. Anyhow.....

Here's what you need to know about the story. Jack Black plays Dewey Finn, a guy who gets kicked out of his band, doesn't have a job, and needs to pay his friend Ned, a substitute teacher, rent money. One day Ned's not at home, Dewey picks up the phone and opportunity strikes when he learns that Ned is offered a temp job at a local school. Dewey takes the job pretending to be Ned, and soon learns that the kids in his class are all really good at musical instruments, leaving him to wonder if they could be his new band at the Battle Of The Bands. Problem? The school is the most highly-respected school in the district and nothing is as easy-going as it seems. Can Dewey teach the kids who know nothing about being rebellious how to rock it? That's basically where the story takes off.

This movie is so much fun. Again, this may be a bit personal and self-centered, but I enjoyed the movie a whole lot more because it had references to the music I like and these kids were learning how to be 'rockers' so to speak, from the rugged style and the insane on-stage performances to handling a guitar like effin' Slash. So yes, I enjoyed the movie a lot. BUT, that doesn't mean those who don't like the genre won't like the flick. It's basically a casual, light-hearted movie that has a simple plot, simple conflicts, and simple values at the end. It's nowhere near Tenacious D & The Pick Of Destiny in terms of language, vulgar references, and random comedy. No, this movie is safe to watch around traditional people who will go insane at the first sight of a naked woman on screen. It's safe to watch around people who will blow their tops at the sound of "F*ck!". What I'm trying to say is it's meant for everyone.

Jack Black is simply Jack Black in School of Rock. He's intact with the crazy jumping around and fiddling of the lips and bizarre facial expressions. He's just being himself and that's not a bad thing at all. The movie basically 'justifies' rock as a musical genre and says that it's not as bad as people think it is. People don't have to pierce their nipples or tattoo their asses or act like jerks just to be rockers. It's all about the music, is what it is.

The kids in School Of Rock are all real musical prodigies, including the vocalists, which is awesome! I didn't know this watching the movie, and remember thinking to myself, "These kids aren't very good actors." I know now that they aren't really actors to begin with, and were picked because they were extremely good at their instruments. This fact really impressed me because here's a movie that is not only entertaining, but is also very real when it comes to the talents these kids possess. When you see a 10 year old handle a guitar with so much ease in School Of Rock, it's because he's really good at it...it's not an act.

Sarah Silverman isn't funny at all in this movie; I'm not even sure why they put her in that role. It could have been anyone else since the only thing she does in the film itself is nag and whine and be somewhat of a b*tch. Still, she is Sarah Silverman and it's nice to see the bickering she has with Jack Black every once in a while. She's a nice addition to an already impressive movie.
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Wrap : I give School Of Rock a solid 4.0 out of 5.0. Again, it's not because I'm a fan of the rock genre, instead it's because I enjoyed the movie and I'm sure those who've never favored Rock will have fun watching School Of Rock, too. It's a simple film that everyone will understand because it portrays very basic values. The theme of the movie is good, the arc is well done, and it's a movie that can be watched a number of times. Plus, it's not the funniest comedic movie in town, but it's funny enough to keep you giggling all the way. Pick this up, people, it's all worth it!

P.S : If you do get into the Rock genre after watching this and need names of some pretty sweet bands, contact me and I'll gladly name you a few. Killswitch, baby....effin' Killswitch!