School of Rock
May 2004 Reviewed by: Josh Barber Format: DVD	(all ratings out of 5): Overall Enjoyment Picture Quality Packaged Extras Sound Quality

Jack Black, who plays rocker Dewey Finn in this very funny film, is just about as far from the traditional idea of "rock star" as you can get -- he's a pudgy dork; not some photogenic pretty boy. Still, what he lacks in cookie-cutter looks, he makes up for with an unyielding, manic devotion to rock.

Kicked out of his band and facing eviction, Black’s Dewey needs cash fast. He intercepts a call intended for his roommate -- Ned Schneebly, a substitute teacher -- and somehow passes himself off as a capable educator. Hired for a long-term stint at the preppiest of prep schools, "faux Ned" discovers an untapped well of musical talent among the students and sees his path to rock stardom.

Black is easily the one who carries this film. The script by Mike White (who plays the real, nebbish Ned) is a collection of clichés within the barest framework of a story; it's fun and entertaining, but formulaic nonetheless. We get the shy girl with the powerful voice, the uncool kid who loosens up, the overbearing "square" parents, and the non-musically inclined know-it-all who manages to find a place in the group. Predicting what scene or plot point will come next is not a difficult task, either. However, Black is so into the rock and the role that he brings the whole movie up with him.

That is not to say that the supporting cast doesn't do a fine job as well. Joan Cusack is the painfully uptight Principal Mullins, a nice departure from the sort of character she usually plays, while Sarah Silverman earns the title of Queen of the Harpies as Ned's girlfriend Patty.

The kids in the band are great. All playing their own instruments, they had to audition both as actors and as musicians. Slacker drummer Freddy (Kevin Clark) is the only kid in class who seems initially happy about Dewey's non-traditional educational style, and pianist Robert Tsai is charmingly awkward as a similarly befuddled Lawrence.

The image quality is nice and clear, with no major video problems. The colors are vibrant, and the blacks are dark. Except for the musical interludes the movie is dominated by conversation, so while there is a bit of play with the surround speakers, most of the dialogue is centered. The kids' voices, which are pretty quiet, come through clearly, and even in a big crowd you can still make out who is saying what. Though the sound and picture may not be demonstration quality, they are perfectly on par with the film's needs.

The disc features two commentary tracks: one with Black and director Richard Linklater, the other a "Kids Kommentary" featuring the pre-driver's license cast members. They are both worthwhile; the adults talk about the making of the film while the kids share anecdotes from the set.

"Lessons Learned in School of Rock" is 23 minutes of on-set interviews and behind-the-scenes footage. "Jack Black's Pitch to Led Zeppelin" is a silly piece. Zeppelin seldom allows its music to appear in films, but Linklater was so dedicated to the use of real rock that he figured it would help to have Black, in front of an audience of extras, beg the band members to let them use the song. It seems to have worked.

"School of Rock Music Video" is exactly what it sounds like. Ditto with "Kids Video Diary: The Toronto Film Festival," which is a lot of camcorder footage. "MTV Diary of Jack Black" just follows Black around for a day as he behaves much like you would expect. Tenacious D fans get a guest appearance from Kyle Gass and a reenactment of the song "Drive-Thru" in this segment.

For once, the DVD-ROM features on the disc actually present something worthwhile. In addition to a list of Black's favorite bands (here's a clue: he likes rock), we get a commentary and a clickable close-up of that big Musical Family Tree that is glimpsed only briefly on the chalkboard in the film. Each genre -- pop, soul, blues, and folk -- gets its own list of suitable bands, while those bands have individual one-page text bios.

The DVD-ROM also offers access to a website archive, which preserves a cast and soundtrack list and a series of QuickTime video interviews, available with Internet access.

With projects such as Dazed and Confused to his credit, Linklater obviously has a fondness for '70s culture, which extends to its music. He shares Jack Black's devotion to rock, and together they have found a way to bring their love to the masses, to present a frame of reference wider than just Carson Daly and TRL.

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