Dir: Richard Linklater. Starring: Jack Black, Joan Cusack, Sarah Silverman, Mike White, Joey Gaydes.
My, how I’ve been looking forward to this. Jack Black’s impishly iconic visions of rock n’ roll – rooted, as they are, in 1986 – and Richard Linklater’s direction (he of the majestic Dazed n’ Confused). A shoe-in to the big leagues, then, for Hollywood’s latest A-list lunatic, show-stealer and heir apparent to John Belushi?
Not necessarily. Because these films come with a hefty caveat, namely that very few of them are actually any good. As with sport flicks, it’s difficult to capture all that spontaneity, passion and retarded machismo on the big screen, so for every Spinal Tap you run the risk of a cutesy Almost Famous or, even worse, the po-faced Rock Star. It’s clear that this is a vehicle for Jack Black and he alone, so can he carry an entire film on those not inconsiderable shoulders?
In one of modern cinema’s less demanding suspensions of disbelief, he plays Dewey Finn, the maniacally extroverted, twenty-something guitarist of a weak-as-piss rock band. Tired of his down-on-the-knees histrionics, falsetto vocals and textbook gurning, the band mates (you know the ones; egoistic, pretty-boy singer, stoner bassist, drummer… just out of shot) give him the flick on the eve of that staple of musical comedies, the Battle of the Bands.
His road to domain and glory thus curtailed, Dewey finds himself struggling for rent money when confronted by meek housemate Ned, and his Über-bitch
It’s here that Black (sorry, Dewey… well, same difference) learns of his young charges’ musical talents, and launches into a crusade to not only hone a new band (under the tenuous guise of a school project), but throw off the overbearing shackles of their teachers and parents. In short, Stick it to the Man. But will the band cut the proverbial mustard? Will Dewey finally crack the big time? Will Ned see the light and ditch his harpy of a girlfriend? And in these days of marauding law suits, will anybody at the school bother to run a background check on a fat lunatic masquerading as a teacher and who turns up to work in a van?
School Of Rock is a somewhat syrupy embrace of the leitmotif of all rock n’ roll films; defying authority, triumphing over adversity, locating the self and realising dreams. And just as the accompanying single is a Frankensteinish mishmash of AC/DC songs, so this is a patchwork of generic, feel-good clichés, its real successes coming from a lead who is – as in most Adam Sandler films – simply playing himself. As a homage, its casual celebration of rock history is warm and ably observed, though could well prove a little too trite for the purists it’ll seek to attract: as a parody, (hell, as a story in its own right) it’s a one trick pony of fleeting quality, rather too reliant upon Black’s zany idiosyncrasies. It’s frustration and rebellion and even bigotry camouflaged as ‘a good time’, confusing in itself, always hinting at something more, and for the film’s rhetoric on the anarchic pulse of rock culture, The Man – the subject of Dewey’s venom – is never really located. The parents? The headmistress? His former bandmates? Patty? I wasn’t sure. And if you don’t know who he’s fighting, does it really matter if he wins?
The deeper moments (and there are some) also tend to be undermined by Jack’s anarchic posturing and manic showmanship - picture Tom Green in the Commitments, or David Lee Roth doing New Order - plus a weak supporting cast (bar the criminally underused Joan Cussack). Having said that, it’s a far from poor film, more an unwieldy collision between Tenacious D and Dead Poet’s Society, your standard rock flick that moves methodically through the motions towards an endearing moral of confidence and self-esteem. Just like the last D album, it’s kind of entertaining to watch one nutter’s self-righteous ego trip, but single-handedly breathing life into this tired old premise is perhaps just one encore so far. Black may be entertaining, but he’s no miracle worker.
Films of this genre are like AC/DC albums; they’re the easiest things in the world to make, but the hardest to make well. As it stands, this is charming, inoffensive, and occasionally even inspired: nowhere near 11, granted, but certainly not unplugged.
Grade - B
Phil Juggins.
Comments?
And because we love you all so - A second review...
School of Rock has received glowing accolades from reviewers around the globe and it’s not a bad movie, but - basically - those guys are all squares. The movie works well within its formula, but hardly transcends it. Dewey Finn is wannabe rocker whose crazy antics alienate him from his friends and bandmates. By pretending to be his housemate, he lands a job as substitute at an uptight prep school, and things are going fine until he discovers his pupils’ musical talents. Now it’s Rock 101, and nobody is going to flunk it.
As a shameless vehicle for Jack Black’s talents, School of Rock works best. 2003 will, I think, be the year Black ceased to be amusing, but until December 31st, he can still put a smile on my face, albeit a slowly fading one. It’s always nice to watch an uninhibited performance, and while he’s not Bill Murray or Jim Carrey, seeing some real energy onscreen is a treat, no matter what the context.
That said, virtually every other aspect of this film is boring. The plot and child actors feel more manufactured than a Happy Meal, and frankly, even less appealing. A starchy principal with a rockin’ heart, uptight parents who won’t let their kids play rock music, and a battle of the bands - God, these plots were old in the fifties!
Despite the film’s cool soundtrack, the volume seems to be set at six. Zeppelin, Acca Dacca and countless seemed to have been mainlined. School of Rock is desperately trying to be a paen to music aka High Fidelity, but with the evil grin of a studio exec hiding behind every line it never really had a chance.
As family entertainment, School of Rock is going to - has, really - been very successful. Parents will to respond to it, and what the kids think doesn’t really matter: they don’t pay for tickets. Precluding a major change, I think Black himself has reached the zenith of his career; trademarking his performances has been a mistake. While he’s still going strong however, he can carry movie like this, just. School of Rock is hardly a Bill and Ted for eight year olds, but it’s not going to have you slitting your throat in the aisle.
C+
Patrick Garson.
Comments?
gc(uk) Email Advanced Site Search