One of the reasons I’ve been such a rabid fan of Richard Linklater over the years is that he’s able to jump back and forth between excellent indie films, to accessible mainstream films. It’s amazing that the same man that gave us the cerebral existential masterpiece “Waking Life” is the same guy that gave us the rock and roll classic “School of Rock.” Linklater’s family comedy is not just a musical gem, but also one that manages to appeal to the genius of classic rock.
Linklater is a man who clearly loves the seventies and with “School of Rock” he’s a man who has a clear reverence for the decade’s art, using it not only as a source of needle drops to help punctuate certain twists in the narrative, but also as a tool to inspire and fuel these characters.
Main character Dewey is even able to inspire self conscious stdent Tomika to break out of her shell with the help of Pink Floyd’s “The Great Gig in the Sky.” Linklater has every chance to really lean in to the tropes of these sub-genres of G rated films, but he applies only light pressure on the really important plot points. We know about the kids but their back stories aren’t melodramatic at any instance. Instead they become motivation for their artistic frustration.
There’s also Jack Black who is allowed to pretty much run wild throughout “School of Rock.” While Linklater could have taken his character and turned him in to an inspirational role model, he’s instead just kind of an over top jack ass—but a lovable jack ass. Even through the very end when he learns how to work as a team and not hog the spotlight, it isn’t some big moment of clarity. It’s instead something he comes to naturally realize during the final number “Teacher’s Pet.” Black is obviously let loose by Linklater who doesn’t do much to rein him in.
Black is just all over the board with hilarious one-liners, over the top physical comedy, weird double takes, and of course almost non-stop musical asides. With anyone else this would be obnoxious, but this is Jack Black. Period. Black is able to pull so much out of everyone he encounters, which is tough considering he spends an enormous amount of screen time with children that were not actors, but instead actually performers. Folks like the late Kevin Clark, Joey Gaydos Jr., Rivkah Reyes, and Maryam Hassam were all genuine music performers that deliver very solid and charming turns on screen.
That’s mainly because Black just has a knack for getting the best out of every co-star he shares the screen with, while never using the kids to pick fun at, but as a source of comedy. “School of Rock” is such a celebration about the importance of music and joy of rock and roll. Whether intentional or not Linklater spotlights this benefit it can offer not only in the realm of musical ability but how it provides confidence, enthusiasm, work drive, and so much more.
“School of Rock” has been such a classic that it inspired a hit musical and spin off TV show (it also acted as a launching pad for Miranda Cosgrove who appears here before her big debut on Nickelodeon), but neither have been able to manage the sheer energy that Black and Linklater brought to the original article.
Twenty years later it’s still a film for all ages that you can click in to and, as Jack Black always has always encouraged, sing along to.