School of Rock MPAA Rating: PG-13 Entertainment: +1 Content: -1 1/2

In this musical comedy, Dewey Finn (Jack Black) is an underachieving, heavy-metal rock guitarist who gets kicked out of his mediocre band. Finn has been living rent-free with his longtime friend and former band member, Ned Schneedbly (Mike White), who has worked hard to improve his own life by substitute teaching and is hoping to get a full-time teaching position. Neds live-in girlfriend (Sarah Silverman) insists that Dewey either get a job and pay her boyfriend back for months of mooching, or move out. Dewey takes a phone call from Principal Ros Mullins (Joan Cusack) while Ned is at work. He pretends to be Ned and accepts a substitute teaching position at the prestigious Horace Green Preparatory School. Dewey, presenting himself as Ned, proceeds to influence a classroom of fourth graders with rock n roll history and heavy-metal music appreciation. Finns philosophy is simple and idealistic: One great rock show can change the world.

Dewey arrives in a classroom of children and announces that he has a hangover and then teaches them what a hangover is. He teaches them that studying is not cool and that they should give up and quit, because no matter how hard you try, the man will take it all away. Dewey subverts the childrens formal musical training to mold them into his image of a rock band. He tells a student that rock music is written out of anger and then praises the student for expressing his anger through music. Dewey delivers a positive message about pursuing dreams, but he also mocks traditional authority figures. He tries to help the students deal with the stresses in their lives, but his anti-authority rhetoric and propensity to lie is disappointing. The majority of the films characters accept Deweys philosophies without much resistance. Before a rock concert, Dewey and his band mates huddle together and pray, Oh, God of Rock, thank you for giving us the opportunity to kick some a** tonight. School of Rock has no class.

Preview Reviewer: Brian Hughes
Distributor: Paramount