Review: School of Rock

I've never been much of a fan of Richard Linklater's cinema of droll nobodies. Only his sublime Before Sunrise and inventive Waking Life had much appeal to me, both formally and narratively.

It's with great satisfaction, then, that I found his latest film, the feel-good romp School of Rock, to be such a free-spirited exercise in geniunely engaging mainstream entertainment. With a smart script by Mike White (another indie stalwart of whom I've never been a big fan), deft direction by Linklater and an electric lead performance by the manic comic livewire Jack Black, School of Rock manages to be the year's most invigorating piece of popcorn.

Leading a game cast of young teenage actors, Black delivers the same outrageous schtick that he's become known for, be it as a cast member of Mr. Show, part of rock duo Tenacious D, or in movie roles like High Fidelity or the criminally underrated Shallow Hal. Here, though, as in Hal, Black allows a certain degree of sweetness and naivete to seep in to his rocker, Dewey.

Posing as his substitute teacher friend, Ned (Mike White), Dewey takes a job teaching at the city's premier private school. Recently kicked out of his own rock 'n roll band, Dewey decides to shape the budding classical musicians into a full-fledged rock group. Hoping to win a local battle of the bands contest, Dewey steeps the children in classic rock CDs, teaches them about fighting against "The Man", all the while trying to fool the school's headmaster, nicely played by an underused Joan Cusack.

Of course, complications ensue when Dewey's found out, but it's never in doubt whether the band will triumph or not. Parents will come around, the kids will learn a lesson or two, and so will Dewey. What's so refreshing about School of Rock is how willfully Linklater seems to have embraced making as accessible a film as possible, without resorting to bottom-line blase filmmaking. Unlike fellow indie director Ang Lee, whose Hulk played like the director was embarrassed he'd made it, Linklater wraps his arms around School of Rock, breathing life into an oft-visited genre.

School of Rock should play like gangbusters. If it's not a huge hit, I will be shocked. Thank goodness, then, that Linklater invested so much energy and passion into making a movie that we'd all like to watch over and over again.

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