--- title: "The School of Rock: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/the-school-of-rock/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/the-school-of-rock" critics_score: 79 critics_reviews: 8 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # The School of Rock (2003): what the critics said Critics' score 79 from 8 reviews: 8 positive, 0 mixed, 0 negative. The reviews are consistently positive, with praise centred on Jack Black’s performance as a rock musician posing as a supply teacher. Critics find his physical comedy and musical enthusiasm well suited to the role, giving a familiar classroom story enough energy to entertain adults and children alike. Richard Linklater also earns credit for keeping sentimentality in check, drawing natural performances from the young cast and treating the children with respect rather than making them merely cute. The differences are modest and concern how much the familiar formula matters. More enthusiastic reviews see rock music’s liberating possibilities handled with intelligence and conviction; others settle for an enjoyable, derivative comedy carried by its lead. The Guardian misses a sharper satirical edge, while Variety stresses how conventional the material is for Linklater and writer Mike White. Neither reservation amounts to a rejection of the film’s good humour. ## Screen Daily Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 6 October 2003. A superb comedy that doesn't take itself too seriously and excels at a conventional genre by injecting rock energy. Singles out Jack Black's amazing, screen-hogging performance and physical humour as the core strength. [Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/school-of-rock/4015366.article) ## Slant Magazine Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 27 September 2003. The critic hails the film's exuberant energy, Black's infectious passion as Dewey, and Linklater's intelligent handling of the formulaic story, which celebrates rock's life-affirming power without overdoing clichés. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/school-of-rock/) ## Empire — Chris Hewitt Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). The film is a perfect vehicle for Jack Black, delivering a feel-good hit with his energetic comic performance as the slacker teacher. It embraces familiar formula with energy, humour and talented young actors while avoiding excessive sentiment. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/school-rock-review/) ## Radio Times — Adam Smith Rating 4/5. A rare kid's film that doesn't patronise its audience and entertains adults too. Praises Jack Black's outstanding performance and Linklater for avoiding schmaltz while drawing natural performances from the young cast. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-99kl6v/the-school-of-rock/) ## Time Out — NB Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 14 January 2016. Presents the film as a different kind of teacher training comedy where a headbanging jackass supply teacher saves square kids with rock music. Calls it a cathartic class comedy for kids of all sizes, like Bugsy Malone in rock pomp or Slacker meets Spy Kids. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/school-of-rock) ## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 6 February 2004. The film is a likeable, sweet-natured family comedy in which Jack Black finds his breakthrough role as a rock musician posing as a supply teacher who inspires his class with the power of rock. It lacks the satirical edge of similar comedies but succeeds through Black's energetic performance. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2004/feb/06/school-of-rock-review) ## Total Film — Total Film Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 6 February 2004. Linklater's mainstream effort is formulaic but powered by genuine passion for rock, with Jack Black's whirlwind performance driving the laughs. It succeeds as an amusing, derivative comedy updating teacher-student stories with guitars and rebellion. [Read the review](https://www.gamesradar.com/the-school-of-rock-review/) ## Variety Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 10 September 2003. Festival review. The most conventionally tilted movie that director Richard Linklater or scenarist Mike White have been involved with, it is a genial comedy toplining Jack Black as a rock 'n' roll lifer/loser teaching a classroom of 10-year-olds. Linklater and White avoid opportunities for excess cuteness, generally letting adults get the laughs while allowing the juveniles some quizzical dignity. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2003/film/reviews/the-school-of-rock-1200539378/) ## RogerEbert.com — Roger Ebert 3 October 2003. The film is as serious as it can be about its comic subject and never condescends to its characters or audience. It proves you can make a family film that is alive, well-acted, smart, perceptive, funny, and rocks. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/school-of-rock-2003) ## The AV Club — Scott Tobias 30 September 2003. The critic praises Jack Black's perfectly tailored manic performance as a rock-obsessed substitute teacher and Linklater's light touch in turning a familiar formula into an entertaining, philosophical comedy about the liberating power of rock music. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/school-of-rock-1798198937) ## The New York Times — Stephen Holden Rating Critic’s Pick. 3 October 2003. The irresistibly good-natured comedy proposes a bold path toward self-realization by imagining a suppressed rock 'n' roll maniac in everyone. Jack Black's musically savvy caricature infuses real passion into the movie, which demonstrates an unerring sense of where to draw the line. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/03/movies/film-review-substitute-teacher-puts-spin-3-r-s-rock-roll-rebellion.html) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/the-school-of-rock.md