School of Rock was one of the best odes to good ol’ fashion rock ’n’ roll I have seen in awhile. That statement could be my entire review for this movie because that says it all. However, I will elaborate for the movie’s sake.

Jack Black plays passionate guitarist, Dewey Finn, who was recently kicked out of his band, which destroys his dreams of performing in the Battle of the Bands. Desperate for money and for music, he impersonates a substitute teacher at a high-class private school in order to make some easy cash. As the movie progresses, he decides to turn his class of over-achieving fifth graders into classic rock and rollers to satisfy his other urge to create music. At the same time, Dewey must also continue to fool the strict principal, played by Joan Cusack, as well as the kids’ even more strict parents.

Like I said before, this movie will go down in history as one of those movies that just screams “I love rock ‘n’ roll!” It will make you laugh and it make you smile. What else could you want? It certainly satisfied all of my needs.

While I am not a big fan of Jack Black in the least, there could not have been a better actor for the part. His eccentric behavior and obvious real-life passion for classic rock made you want to go out and buy every Led Zepplin record ever made.

While the beginning is a bit slow and painful to watch, as Dewey is a regular loser, once he begins to teach at the school, the comedy and character development kicks in. The kids include a variety of “typical” characters, including the grade-grubbing class president, the “cool kid,” and the science nerd, but each one stirs a different emotion, depending on what type you were as a kid.

Once at the school, Dewey stumbles upon the kids during their music lesson. The students’ amazing talent sparks the idea to create a band within the classroom. Dewey tells the children their band is for a “class project,” thus convincing them to practice their hearts out for the ultimate A+.

One of the best scenes in the movie includes the one when Dewey urges the kids to write their own music. He teaches them that music is more than a few notes combined to make a song, but it is fever and feeling. Through unique homework assignments, such as listening to various CD’s including AC/DC and The Who, he causes the students to become more passionate about the individual talent each one already possesses.

Joan Cusack is obviously a hilarious actress, as is Jack Black, but the kids stole the show. Mostly untrained, these kids were an absolute delight to watch.

While it was a bit unrealistic that a one crazy man and two dozen fifth graders could have fooled such a prestigious principal, you had to forget the inconsistencies and just enjoy the movie.

Directed by Richard Linklater and written by Mike White, School of Rock is rated PG-13 for language and drug reference.