Jack Black being given a starring role in a major Hollywood release can mean only one thing - psychotic behavior and plenty of crazy hair and visual humor. Which means it's basically like most of his movies to date ("Orange County," "Shallow Hal").
However, more of Black means the rest of the cast are pretty much doing nothing but being his less animated sidekicks. "School of Rock" would be similar to a concert from Black's band Tenacious D if insignificant actors and kids with untapped rock talent replaced half the band.
Dewey Finn (Jack Black) is a failed rocker who gets booted out of his band for his over-the-top guitar solos, reckless stage diving and for being an overall embarrassment. Finn receives pressure from his roommate, Ned Schneebly (Mike White), and coercion from Schneebly's girlfriend Patty (Sarah Silverman), to pay rent or be thrown out.
Finn poses as his roommate to take a substitute teacher's job at one of the most prestigious private schools in the nation. Finn gets the students involved in a "class project" to form a band to win "The Battle of the Bands" and take him from anonymity into the limelight.
Finn would be the coolest music appreciation class professor one could have; non-stop recess, extended lunch periods and the creation of a rock band. Between listening to rock CDs by Jimi Hendrix for gut-bursting guitar solos and the Sex Pistols for mind-blowing drum solos, and learning the history of rock for homework, Finn's lessons are in a class all their own.
The movie moves along as the audience yearns for the quirky Finn to kick-start the rocking. The crowning moment arrives when Finn gets the students to start Deep Purple's "Smoke On the Water," by starting with the guitar, bass, electric organ and finally the drums. The soundtrack will appeal to rock fans by featuring songs from rock greats like Led Zeppelin, ACDC, The Who, The Ramones and more. Others would just enjoy fantasizing about school curriculum that rocks and doesn't bore.
As Finn said, "I'm el Captaino;" it is the Jack Black show. It is not a bad thing when an eccentric musician/actor rocks out on film. It is when the rest of the cast is pretty much wasted in their roles, like Schneebly (White), principal Mullins (Joan Cusack) and Patty (Silverman).
White looks the role of a pushover ex-rocker-turned-substitute-teacher but doesn't do much besides exist. Cusack plays the uptight principal who is a rocker at heart, but whose inhibitions are dissolved by alcohol. She does not disappoint but does not impress much either.
Silverman plays the mayor's assistant and an impatient girlfriend who is intolerant of rock music. A racy stand-up comedienne, Silverman's contribution seems to prove just how whipped Schneebly is and to expose Finn for posing as him, much like John Kimble was exposed in "Kindergarten Cop."
The children are at best adorable and na??vely funny, but altogether meaningless. The classroom is filled with stereotypes: the coward, the menace, the loser, the teacher's pet, the talent with stage fright and the boy who likes Milli Vanilli.
"School of Rock" is a mock-heroic rock epic for the whole family - where the message is "rock on," but suffers from rather subdued performances by everyone but Black. Black was on a mission that believed "one great show can change the world." "School of Rock," however, is not that great show.
MOVIE: "School of Rock"
STARRING: Jack Black, Joan Cusack
DIRECTED BY: Richard Linklater
GENRE: Comedy
GRADE: B-
SYNPOSIS: A classic rocker takes over as substitute teacher in a prestigious private school, introducing rock and roll to the musically uneducated students.
Photo: Breadchastick / Wikimedia Commons
