School of Rock (2003)

Directed by Richard Linklater. Starring Jack Black, Joan Cusack, Mike White, Sarah Silverman, Miranda Cosgrove, Kevin Clark, Joey Gaydos Jr., Maryam Hassan, Robert Tsai, Rebecca Brown, Brian Falduto, Adam Pascal, Lucas Babin. [PG-13]

Wannabe rockstar Black is hurting for money to keep from getting kicked out of the apartment he shares with his substitute teacher roommate (White, also the screenwriter). After intercepting a call from a prestigious private school needing an immediate teaching replacement, Black poses as his roomie, takes the assignment, and forms a band with his musically-talented classroom of students. Certainly not the most plausible concept for a comedy, but it was developed as a vehicle for the high-voltage talents of its star, and Black nails it without question. Polished and conventional by Linklater’s standards, but he does allow the scenes to breathe for a more satisfying outcome than the predictable fashion of cutting after cheap punchlines. Cusack does solid work as the strict yet sensible school principal, and most of the kids are pretty good, too (in fact, they’re all real musicians, so that’s actually them performing alongside Black during rehearsals and performances). A devotion to the spirit of rock n’ roll drips out of every celluloid pore, and you can ignore the “13” part of the film’s ludicrous PG-13 rating—it makes for splendid viewing for the whole family.

74/100