Rock And Roll Will Never Die, Part Two- Jack Black’s “School Of Rock” (2003)-A Film Review

DVD Review    

By Film Critic Emeritus Sam Lowell

[Recently in reviewing another rock and tribute film, Phillip Seymour Hoffman’s Pirate Radio I mentioned that I would be reviewing the film discussed below. I had noted in that previous review that although I am now retired I had done so with the caveat that I would on occasion dredge up my tired brain and write a little something if it interested me. I also noted that I had been compelled to review that film and now this one because the current film critic in this space, my old friend and adversary from American Film Gazette days, Sandy Salmon, has mentioned to me on many occasions that he had not been washed clean (my expression not his) by the high tide of rock and roll that was the common lynchpin of our generation. Moreover, if you can believe this about anybody who was young and breathing in the early 1960s, Sandy did not “give a damn” (his expression) about rock and roll reflecting in my view that stiff upper lip upbringing that he went through in New York City which included huge doses of classic music. You know Beethoven, Brahms, Mozart and the crew. The guys that the late rock and roll legend Chuck Berry gave notice to in his classic statement of the case for rock-Roll Over Beethoven- giving noteice that some new sheriffs were in town.

The long and short of it had been that I noticed one of the films up for review was Phillip Seymour Hoffman’s Pirate Radio which is nothing but a rather recent slice of life homage to the genre. Sandy was not going to review the film and so I entered the lists to save this beauty of a tribute from statutory neglect. Here is the other one I am trying to save from oblivion. Sam Lowell] 

School of Rock, starring Jack Black, Joan Cusack, 2003   

No question artists, poets, writers and musicians in order to follow their bitch muses who are hard taskmasters have to be willing to give up a lot, have to spend some sleepless nights worrying about what they can create-and worry, deep worry about where the rent and food dough will come from. That premise, that last part-the food and rent part, goes double for guys and gals who only have so-so talents but who struggle nevertheless with that damn taskmaster muse. All of this angst drives the film under review Jack Black’s School Of Rock as it pays homage to the third wave of the rock revolution (first classic 1950s with Elvis, Jerry Lee, Chuck and the like, second stepchildren in the 1960s British invasion led by the Beatles and the Stones, and the third led by, well, Led Zeppelin, AC/CD, Lou Reed, the Ramones, etc.)       

Here’s the way to the stairway to heaven. Average rocker Dewey Finn, Jack Black’s role, was in a bad slump. He had been dumped by his band for being a goof just before the big day Battle of the Bands was to take place, was being dunned by his roommate, a former rocker Ned, for the rent money when he had no dough, and nowhere to get any and worse, absolutely worse of all had to listen to nine to five, white picket fence, get a job Ned’s girlfriend who even I wanted to straggle if I could get my hands on her. Despite all this Dewey had the big dream wanting habits that drive every wannabe rock and roll star.   

But Dewey had a plan to get well on all fronts or rather he dropped into a few things that helped get him on his feet by a little, okay, okay, a lot of deception. See Ned was trying to break into bourgeois society as a teacher but just then like a lot of wannabe teachers he was “subbing” to make ends meet. One day he got a call from a high end private prep school. Except the guy who answered the phone call was our boy Dewey. Bingo, go sub and get the rent money-that was the hook-that was his short term way to get well. Now given the best of it to him Dewey was strictly grunge band and his style and affect reflected the culture. He showed up for his new class assignment looking like hell.

Worse for a high-toned (and expensive prep school) Dewey figured to slum his way through the assignment. Let the kids, fourth graders if you can believe this strategy if you know anything about nine and ten year olds, just hang out while he collected his dough and maybe worked on some new lyrics since he still had it bad to get that gig at the Battle of the Bands. Then he had an epiphany after hearing the kids go through their paces in music class. Here is the beautiful conversion that made every kid like me who grew up clutching every straw rock and roll had to offer beam with pride as he tells Mister Beethoven and his classical music brethren to move on over just like the late Chuck Berry prophesied. Dewey figured to take these “square” musical talents and create his own rock band of this clay. Nice touch, nice idea.

Naturally there have to be a bazillion roadblocks in the way from the totally justifiable skepticism of the kids who after all are straight-shooters to an uptight headmistress, played by Joan Cusack, to irate and upset parents. Naturally as well there have to be many snafus, many examples of the kids overcoming various adversities from poor self-esteem to being overweight to be left out by the other kids whose capacity for cruelty among their peers is well known and hardly a secret these days. Despite all the pitfalls they eventually get to the Battle of the Band auditions. They wow the audience but guess what.  Dewey’s old band wins the competition leaving the kids behind a little older but wiser. Get this though Dewey and Ned (after dumping his bitch nine to five world girlfriend) opened up a school of rock after school. And guess who some of the students were? Yeah, rock and roll will never die as the soundtrack filled with third wave rockers testifies to. Jack Black by the way is a true mad man in this one.