School of Rock (2003)
I miss the 2000s version of Jack Black and I don’t know why I have been missing this movie for more than two decades. Linklater takes a pretty formulaic and somewhat predictable narrative, but brings his signature style that adds love and warmth to the characters. We are laughing with Dewey not at him, and Jack Black smashes his role out of the rock stadium. He may act extremely exaggerated, yet magically never over the top. Sarah Silverman and Mike White may embody characters that are too simplistic, but as a counterweight and push forward for the story, they work well. And those kids sure know how to rock!
Rating: 3.5