:
Jack Black,
Jack Black,
Joan Cusack,
more...
:
Richard Linklater,
Richard Linklater
see all cast/crew...
: 
: Paramount
: Comedies
: 109 min.
: English, French
: English
see additional details...
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The world's least-employable heavy metal guitarist is entrusted with the minds of upstate New York's best and brightest in this fish-out-of-water comedy. Jack Black plays Dewey Finn, axe-bearer for a fitfully successful bar band determined to win a regional battle-of-the-bands competition. There's only one thing standing in their way: the self-indulgent solos and crowd-diving antics of their "embarrassing" lead guitarist. When his band votes him out in favor of a would-be rock god, Dewey has to make the rent somehow, and after intercepting a call for his substitute-teacher roomie Ned (Mike White), the pot-bellied slacker finds himself in front of a class of elite elementary school students. At a loss for a lesson plan, Dewey takes offense at the pre-teen prodigies' staid musical regimen and makes it his goal to preach them the gospel of The Who, Led Zeppelin, and AC/DC -- with the ulterior motive of getting them to compete against his former band for a cash prize. But no matter how willing his pupils, Dewey runs up against the consternation of the school's stern headmistress Principal Mullins (Joan Cusack), the battle-of-the-bands' promoter (Frank Whaley), and not least, his identity-deprived roomie Ned. ~ Michael Hastings, All Movie Guide
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| Back in Black
by BrodiesGirl
June 3, 2004 - 2:21 PM PDT
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7 out of 7 members found this review helpful
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I was prepared to hate this movie. C'mon, a kiddie flick with a PG-13 Jack Black can't be funny.
But after viewing this movie, I felt GREAT. I felt uplifted and happy. Maybe it's because I have an undying love for ROCK music and an enternal loathing for the MTV culture that is tearing it down. (yes I am fully aware that I am age-bracketed into this MTV culture, being 23 days younger than the birth of the network. But I like real music).
The cons: the adult actors aren't really used to their full potential. Jack Black is much funnier when he can use profanity, Joan Cusack can be much better, and Sarah Silverman is the biggest disappointment of the movie.
The pros: If you love Rock and Roll and need to spread this message to kids you know that need to listen to better music than Christina Aguilera, for pete's sake, DO IT. The kids in the movie are ridiculously talented, they all play their own instruments. The movie is (shudder) "kid-friendly" but it isn't too over-the-top schmaltzy.
Overall, I thought the flick was entertaining and a nice message to a young audience about how cool rock and roll really is. Rock On!!! |
| Don't work with kids or animals
by Misshaped
April 24, 2004 - 7:10 PM PDT
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2 out of 6 members found this review helpful
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| Jack Black brings up this quote in the extras on this DVD and says he's not worried because he's a big kid as well as an animal himself. I tried to ignore the things I didn't like about this movie while I was watching it. Why did you have to be so amazingly whiny Sarah Silverman...you are usually so funny?! Why didn't you go all Stevie Nicks on us Joan Cusack...I know you had it in you?! Why was the whole movie so predictable...it could have actually had a few plot twists and turns?! I guess in the end I just like to see Jack Black acting like a big goofy dork. He's really good at it. My only advice is to put this movie a bit lower in your queue than I did. There are a lot better movies than this one floating around. |
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GreenCine Member Rating
(Average 6.54)
587 Votes
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