Movie Review: School of Rock (2003)

Movie Review: School of Rock (2003) seen on Pay Per View, DVD and multiple streaming platforms

Comedy, some scenes may be unsuitable for young viewers, language, mature themes

The movie follows Dewey Finn, (played by Jack Black,) who masquerades as a substitute teacher in an attempt to make money for his overdue rent. He attempts to get the children ready to perform in a “Battle of the Bands” competition.

The movie begins with a band called “No Vacancy” performing at a nightclub. Dewey is the band guitarist who ends every performance by taking a stage dive. As the performance progresses, several members of the audience voice their dislike for the band, although nothing is said verbally. The audience are shown sending texts messages to their friends reading, “These guys suck. Leave?” before a group of them leave the venue. As the performance finishes, Dewey attempts to take the stage dive only to land on the floor when no one in the audience catches him. With Dewey face down, the camera cuts to him face down on his mattress the next morning. He lives in a small apartment with his buddy Ned, (played by Mike While,) and Ned’s power hungry girlfriend Patty, (played by Sarah Silverman.) Patty is shown to dislike Dewey as she feels he is taking advantage of Ned by consistently being late for his share of the rent, to which it is implied that up to that point, Ned has always agreed to pay Dewey’s share of the rent as Dewey was unable to, as well as being shown as being a pushover when he has dismissed conversations with Dewey regarding this while failing to confront him.

Ned and Patty wake up Dewey and tell him he must pay his share of the rent. When Dewey replies that he doesn’t have it, Ned turns around and walks away only for Patty to give him a dirty look, forcing Ned to stand up for himself and she he’s no longer covering Dewey’s rent. Patty then says that Dewey owes a total of $2300.00 which Dewey says he will pay once “No Vacancy” wins the battle of the bands. Patty tells Dewey that he will be kicked out if he doesn’t pay his share of the rent by the end of the week.

While trying to sell some of his old instruments to make money, Dewey gets a call from the principal of “Horace Green Elementary School,” looking for Ned to substitute for one of their classes, (Ned works as a substitute teacher.) When Dewey learns of how much money the school pays for substitute teachers, he mocks Ned’s voice and lands the job.

Dewey tells the principal, (played by Joan Cusack,) to pay him in cash rather than cheque which she says he can discuss with the account manager at the end of the day. As Dewey enters the classroom, he realizes he cannot spell the last name “Schneebly,”(which should have been a red flag as Dewey did not know how to spell his last name.)

As he is totally unsure of what to do with the children, he begins by asking any of the children if they have food in their desk before saying that the children can just have recess all day and assuring them they will start tomorrow.

The children become concerned when the next few days, Dewey refuses to teach them anything useful, instead just constantly allowing them to have recess. This pattern catches the attention of another student who asks Dewey if they are going to learn anything. Dewey finally snaps and gives the children a lecture on how it is impossible to win in life and that they should just quit because no matter how much work they put in, they will ultimately fail. The class factotum named Sumer, (played by Miranda Cosgrove,) informs Dewey of the regular lesson plan to which he replies that Ms. Dunham, (playfully pronounced as “Ms. Dumb bum” by Dewey,) isn’t there and that while she is away, they can have recess.

In the aforementioned lecture by Dewey to the children, the principal interrupts and says the children need to go to music class. As Dewey is in the hallway, he over hears the students playing in music class and decides to set up his instruments in the class hoping the children can become his new band.

After assigning the guitarist, cello player, drummer, and piano player to various children in the class, (which Dewey selected based on what instruments the children played in music class, ) he assigns the rest of the class backstage roles in the band including making Summer the band manager.

For the next few days, other teachers become concerned when they can hear music coming from the classroom. The principal decides to sit in on the class in the afternoon, which forces Dewey to break out various math equations in song towards the class. After the principal disapproves of Dewey’s methods, she urges him to continue with the curriculum the school already has. To get the principal to agree to a proposed field trip Dewey was planning, (which she had declined when being asked about earlier in the film,) he tricks her into believing he wants coffee only to bring her to a bar where they only serve beer. After playing her favourite song on a nearby juke box, (to which she breaks out dancing while drunk,) she unknowingly agrees after confirming that it will be educational.

The next day, she asks Dewey to pick her up as she needs a ride to the school’s parent teacher night which Dewey at first says he will not be attending. The principal tells him he must go as he is the teacher and must give the presentation. Dewey’s cover is almost blown when he tells her he’s not a teacher before going in, which she dismisses as not true thinking he meant that he’s not a teacher because he’s just a substitute.

Meanwhile, Ned receives a cheque from the school for $1200.00 which he believes is a mistake since he has never taught there. Eventually, he is forced by Patty to tell her what’s been going on with Dewey, (which he had agreed to keep a secret when Dewey told him earlier in the film.)

As the presentation progresses, Dewey basically just names all of the school’s basic subjects, (math, reading, writing, etc,) and says that it’s all been covered while attempting to dismiss the session. When he fails to go into detail as he is supposed to, parents get angry and ask how listening to music can be regarded as homework. As Dewey, attempts to answer the question by saying that it would be a breach of teacher student confidentiality, he notices police officers outside the door who inform the parents as well as the principal that he is not Ned.

With his cover now blown, Dewey reveals his true identity and admits to not being a teacher. Things only get worse for him when he claims to have touched the kids, (meaning in a metaphorical sense.) The parents however, are grossed out by this and they believe he is a criminal. They chase Dewey down the hall to end the scene.

The next morning, parents crowd the inside of the principal’s office who assures them that safety in their number one priority. As the principal is shown to be drained, she leaves the room and walks down a flight of stairs.

Meanwhile, the children’s new teacher, (who’s name is not revealed in the movie,) enters the room to find the children aren’t there. The principal casually informs the parents that all of the children are missing forcing a frenzy as the parents attempt to find them along with the principal.

The scene cuts to the inside of Dewey’s apartment where he is woken up by two of the students. After he tells them to forget about him and go back to school, they eventually convince him to get on the bus and go for their trip.

They arrive just in time to perform where the parents are told they must purchase tickets to gain entry. The parents secure front row spots just as the performance begins and despite overwhelming cheering from the audience, the school does not win but rather “No Vacancy” wins which the audience disagree with. Everyone in the audience chants for an encore, which the children oblige to give them.

The end of the film sees Summer getting out of her parent’s car to go into Dewey’s house which has been transformed into an after school program where all of the children in the class have joined the program. As the credits roll, the band performs the song they played in the “Battle of the Bands,” while Ned teaches little children how instruments work.

This movie to me was a really good one. This was also the first time I saw Jack Black in any movie. I was 13 years old when I first saw this movie and was disappointed when the class did not end up winning the competition as most movies I had seen up to that point had happy endings. After watching it numerous times growing up, I believe that ending was created to impart the positive message to children that sometimes, despite your best efforts, you will fail but as long as you had fun, that’s all that really matters.

After seeing this movie for the first time, Jack Black has continued to impress me as an actor with his comedic ways.

It was a fun movie with a lot of good messages and I would definitely recommend it.

Movie rating: 10 out of 10