School of Rock is a 2003 American comedy film from Paramount Pictures, starring Jack Black. The film was written specifically for Black by Mike White and directed by Richard Linklater. It was well-received by critics, gaining a 91% rating on Rotten Tomatoes,[2] and was number 98 on Bravo's "100 Funniest Movies".[3]
Plot summary
Dewey Finn (Black), a hard rock singer and guitarist, is unanimously kicked out of his band No Vacancy by his bandmates for his arrogance and frequent hyperactive stage antics. His submissive roommate and lifelong friend Ned Schneebly (writer Mike White), a substitute teacher, threatens Dewey with eviction under heavy pressure from his girlfriend Patty Di Marco (Sarah Silverman) unless Dewey "gets a real job" and pays off his growing rent debt. Dewey feels forced to give up his passion until he receives a phone call intended for Ned from Rosalie Mullins (Joan Cusack), principal of Horace Green, a prestigious prep school, asking Ned to fill in for a teacher who would be out for several weeks. Desperate for income to avoid getting evicted, Dewey impersonates Ned and takes the job as a substitute teacher for the fifth-grade class.
Dewey has no real idea how to carry out his role as a teacher, and instead simply gives his students constant free time. However, when he overhears his pupils playing in music class he realizes that the children of his class are musically talented. He decides to turn his temporary job into what he tells them is a special class project, but is actually a personal one: to turn a classroom full of kids into a rock band and crew, complete with a ten-year-old manager, a girl called Summer (Miranda Cosgrove), which will serve as a vehicle to stardom, ultimately to win the upcoming Battle of the Bands, where he is out to avenge his eviction from his old band and win the $20,000 prize.
After realizing that most of the kids are interested primarily in pop and contemporary music, Dewey turns the school days into lessons of rock history and music playing, exposing his students to those artists he regards as rock legends. Six rock stars are featured with classic footage in the movie: Jimi Hendrix, Iggy Pop, Pete Townshend, Angus Young, Keith Moon and Kurt Cobain, and bands such as the Ramones and Alice in Chains. In addition, during a montage, the drummer, Freddy, is seen watching footage of the famous drum battle between Buddy Rich and Ed Shaughnessy. Stay Free by The Clash is the opening salvo at the beginning of the movie.
Dewey narrowly escapes detection when Ms Mullins decides to attend one of his class's lessons to check on their progress, forcing him to actually teach the official course material. Dewey attempts to revive any old love for rock he finds in her, having found out that she likes Stevie Nicks and playing her song "Edge of Seventeen" on a jukebox. The two develop a close friendship after this.
Meanwhile, the class audition for the Battle of the Bands, which Dewey told them was their "school project". They are turned back because they show up too late. With Summer's help, Dewey persuades the Battle's managers by lying that the students are all terminally ill with "stick-it-to-da-man-ni-osis", a fictional rare blood disease, and out of compassion, they allow the students to perform in the Battle of the Bands.
However, later that day, Dewey (who had requested on multiple occasions that he be paid in cash) is exposed when Ned receives a paycheck from Horace Green in the mail, knowing he has never worked there. During the parent-teacher night later on, Dewey meets the students' parents, who originally seem very suspicious of his ability to teach their children. Dewey succeeds in convincing them that he is a competent teacher, but Ned appears and confronts Dewey (due almost entirely to his girlfriend's persuasion). His real identity is revealed, and he is fired from the school. Considering himself a failure, he falls into depression, only recovering when the students, on their way to the Battle of the Bands via school bus, plead with him to join them.
At the competition, the class plays "School of Rock", a song written by their lead guitarist Zack Mooneyham, instead of Dewey's "Legend of the Rent". Despite the strong reception from the audience (including Mullins and the students' parents, who thought Dewey abducted the kids), the class loses to Dewey's ex-band No Vacancy, but accept their defeat because the performance increased their self-esteem. The crowd becomes angered by No Vacancy's victory and call for School of Rock to come back on stage. The band goes for an encore, playing "It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock 'n' Roll)" by AC/DC, with some of the lyrics altered.
In the ending sequence, Summer is seen arguing a deal over her cell phone as she enters the "School of Rock", a newly opened after-school program where Dewey continues to coach the band and Ned teaches the younger ones, and the credits roll as the band sings "The movie is over, but we're still on screen," breaking the fourth wall.
Characters
- Dewey Finn (Jack Black) - Nicknamed "Mr. S" after persuading the class that he is the real Ned Schneebly (he was unable to spell the surname), Dewey is a down-on-his-luck, energetic, 30-year-old, wannabe rock superstar who is unanimously voted out his band No Vacancy due to his antics and is replaced with a guitarist named Spider. When Ned's girlfriend demands he pay up his share of the rent or get out, he pretends to be Ned as a substitute at the high-brow Horace Green Elementary. His main objective in the movie is to create a rock band from the Horace Green fifth grade class, after previous attempts to pull together a band failed, and take revenge on his doubting former band members and win the Battle of the Bands.
- Rosalie "Roz" Mullins (Joan Cusack) - The very uptight principal of Horace Green Elementary. It is revealed that she was "not always wound this tight", but the pressure of the parents wanting everything to be perfect has made her into someone she never wanted to be. She is always strictly dressed. At one point she is seen wearing a blouse and necktie with a tightly buttoned blazer. She also is often seen wearing a turtleneck sweater, sometimes under a blazer.
- Ned Schneebly (Mike White) - Ned is Dewey's roommate and best friend. He is described as a pushover by his girlfriend, Patty, because he gives Dewey many chances to pay the rent and lets him stay on account of the fact that he does not like confrontation and because Dewey is his best friend. Both used to be in a Glam rock band called Maggot-Death together, but Ned gave up those dreams for what he and Patty consider to be something more sensible.
- Patty Di Marco (Sarah Silverman) - Patty works for the mayor and is Ned's girlfriend. She makes no secret of her hatred for Dewey, constantly berating him for his lack of a proper job and inability to pay rent. Dewey brings out the worst in her, and Ned walks out on her daily tirade and breaks up with her in the end.
- Summer Hathaway (Miranda Cosgrove) - (Nicknamed "Tinkerbell") The class factotum, Summer is determined to please and succeed, even if it means using somewhat unethical means. She is designated by Dewey as the band manager due to her threatening to tell her mother, a room parent, that he was being unfair to her by deeming her a groupie and during the latter half of the movie, Dewey says, "Summer is going to be the first woman president of the United States of America." At the end of the movie, she has taken on a full managerial tone and responsibility for the musical direction of the band.
- Zack Mooneyham (Joey Gaydos Jr.) - (Nicknamed "Zack Attack") The talented but shy lead guitarist of the School of Rock. His overbearing father has a large and domineering influence on him and his hobbies and education. Dewey is quoted saying "He's the next Hendrix" about Zack during the later half of the movie.
- Freddy Jones (Kevin Clark) - (Nicknamed "Spazzy Mcgee") The "rebel without a cause" and somewhat of a troublemaker drummer of the School of Rock. He likes to burn stuff for a pastime and went out to hang in a van with some rockers competing in the Battle of the Bands. It is this that provides the vehicle for Dewey to prove that he cares for the kids.
- Katie (Rebecca Brown) - (Nicknamed "Posh Spice") Originally a cellist, Katie takes up the bass guitar. Despite being a core member, her character does not really have many lines because she's portrayed as a quiet girl, but eagerly takes interest in rock music, citing Sheila E and Meg White as "good chick drummers". In the commentary, it is revealed during the credits she was supposed to have a solo, but it was cut out.
- Lawrence (Robert Tsai) - (Nicknamed "Mr. Cool" referring to a conversation between Dewey and him about his self esteem) A quiet, awkward "boffin" who becomes the keyboardist for the band and undergoes a transformation to become a rockin' keyboardist. Dewey teaches him the handshake, partially consisting of "slap it; shoot it; caboot it!"
- Tomika (Maryam Hassan) - (Nicknamed "Turkey Sub" referring to a turkey sub sandwich that she was hiding in her desk that Dewey ate) Unconfident about her physique, later becomes "Songbird" after Dewey discovers her amazing singing talent when she admits to him in private that she does not want to be security detail, nor a roadie. She ends up being a backup singer for the band. Dewey privately informs her that he is also a bit overweight, justifying his own condition with the statement "I like to eat."
- Marta (Caitlin Hale) - (Nicknamed "Blondie" because of her blonde hair) Marta is another back-up singer, seemingly more lively than other classmates, showing off her voice with "Tomorrow" from the musical Annie.
- Alicia (Aleisha Allen) - (Nicknamed "Brace Face" because of her braces) Alicia volunteers her singing voice to become a back-up singer, "auditioning" with Amazing Grace.
- Billy (Brian Falduto) - (Nicknamed "Fancy Pants" because of his interests in style and fashion) Originally assigned security, the camp, effeminate Billy requests he be band stylist instead and, being that he needed to keep the kids happy, Dewey agrees. Billy designs the uniforms for the show and is shown to work hard at the design. He vehemently voices his hatred for Dewey, but still works with the band. At the end of the film, he seems to have garnered a neutrality toward Dewey.
- Gordon (Zachary Infante) - (Nicknamed "Road Runner" referring to his laptop that is seen on his desk) Gordon is a roadie and is noted for his exceptional computer skills. He made the light show during the Battle of the Bands performance. He tends to get stressed easily when his plans don't work out, but Dewey inspires confidence in him.
- Marco (James Hosey) - (Nicknamed "Carrot Top" because of his red hair) Also a roadie with Gordon. He works the smoke machine during the Battle of the Bands performance.
- Frankie (Angelo Massagli) - (Nicknamed "Tough Guy" because of his heavy build) At the beginning of the film, it appears he is good friends with Freddy, and the one who interacts/jokes with him the most. He works on security. In the beginning of the film, he is under the assumption that rock was about scoring with girls.
- Leonard (Cole Hawkins) - (Nicknamed "Short Stop" because of his short stature) He works on security along with Frankie.
- Eleni and Michelle (Veronica Afflerbach and Jordan-Claire Green respectively) - Designated the groupies by Dewey, they are given the task of naming the band, which they are more than happy to do. They disclose the final name to Dewey by unrolling a T-shirt with a "School of Rock" emblem on it.
- Theo (Adam Pascal) - Theo is the leader of Dewey's old band "No Vacancy", though Dewey says he brought the band together, and he is the first one who suggested getting rid of Dewey. During the end of the movie, before learning they win the contest, Theo and his band members are very impressed with the performance which the children (of Dewey's band School of Rock) had put up and they personally congratulate/admire them.
- Spider (Lucas Babin) - Spider is the guitarist who replaces Dewey in "No Vacancy." At the Battle of the Bands, he is seen hitting on Miss Mullins.
- Neil (Lucas Papaelias) - Neil is the bass player of the band "No Vacancy".
Inspiration
A stage dive gone wrong incident involving Ian Astbury of rock band The Cult was witnessed by Jack Black, and was used as inspiration for a scene in School Of Rock, in which the character Dewey Finn, stage dives and hits the floor; "I went to see a reunion, in Los Angeles, of The Cult; they were playing and Ian Astbury, the lead singer, took a dive. It was at The Viper Room, and it was just a bunch of jaded Los Angelinos out there, and they didn't catch him and he plummeted straight to the ground. Later I thought it was so hilarious. So that was put into the script".[4]
Production
Many scenes from the movie were shot around the New York City area. The school portrayed in School of Rock is actually Main Hall at Wagner College in Staten Island, New York.[citation needed]
Music
Featured in the film
* Featured on the Soundtrack album
Soundtrack
A soundtrack album of the same name was released on September 30, 2003. The film's director Richard Linklater scouted the country for talented 13-year-old musicians to play the rock-and-roll music that features on the soundtrack and in the film.
One noteworthy feature of the soundtrack is the inclusion of Led Zeppelin's "Immigrant Song". Led Zeppelin has a history of not allowing their songs to be used for commercial purposes, and rarely give permission for anyone to use their songs. In order to get permission, Richard Linklater came up with the idea to shoot a video on the stage used at the end of the film with Jack Black begging the band for permission and the crowd cheering and chanting behind him. The video was sent directly to Led Zeppelin, and permission was granted for the song. The video can be seen on the DVD extras.
Movie title
Although a few references, including Internet Movie Database, give this film's name as The School of Rock, its posters, video cover, official website and most other references refer to it as School of Rock. A making-of documentary included in the film's DVD mentions that in the script, everything was always referred to as The School of Rock, but as the movie got into production, there was a memo to change it officially to School of Rock. There was a short-lived debate about having the red title display in the movie's opening credits modified, because despite already permanently submitted to calling it School of Rock, it already had the The in the film's trailers. Linklater decided in the end to just leave it, marking the whole thing "silly."
Critical reception
The film received positive reviews from film critics. It received a "Certified Fresh" rating of 91% on Rotten Tomatoes based on 186 reviews with an average rating of 7.7/10, and it fared even better with their selected top critics; out of 36 reviews, all but one were positive, which left the film with a rating of 97% with an average rating of 8.2/10. On Metacritic, the film has a rating of 82 out of 100 which indicates "universal acclaim".
Box office performance
The movie was a financial success. It grossed $131,282,949 internationally. The budget of the film was $35 million.
Awards and nominations
The film was nominated for several awards, including Black receiving Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor - Comedy or Musical (which he lost to Bill Murray for Lost in Translation), and winning an MTV Movie Award for Best Comedic Performance.
Sequel
On May 23, 2008, Jack Black revealed a sequel was in the works: "I'd really like to do it, the last one was great. We are seriously thinking about it; there's already a script. In a few weeks we have to decide if we go through with the project or not."[5]
Variety reported on July 13, 2008 that Richard Linklater is attached to direct again, and Scott Rudin is returning as producer.[6] Mike White, who penned the first, is writing the screenplay, titled "School of Rock 2: America Rocks," which picks up with Finn leading a group of summer school students on a cross-country field trip that delves into the history of rock 'n' roll and explores the roots of blues, rap, country and other genres.[7]
On July 14, 2008 School of Rock 2 was confirmed.[8]
On September 5, 2008 director Richard Linklater said the film "might not" happen at all and that Paramount just jumped the gun on the news.[9]
On June 16, 2009, while promoting his new film Year One, Jack Black commented on the development of the film, saying, "Yeah, there's development. We'll see. I don't know. I'm a little hesitant about doing a sequel. I had fun doing the first one, just don't want to do something because it's there. I want to do it because it's going to be really funny or better than the first one."[10]
References
External links
