School of Rock

Richard Linklater’s film about a teacher (?) inspiring his pupils. To Dewey Finn (Jack Black) music is his life and that includes playing lead guitar in a bar band, who manage to get gigs here and there and aim to win a regional battle-of-the-bands competition. The only thing standing in their way is the self-indulgent antics of their lead guitarist. Finn is ousted from the band but he badly needs to pay the rent so finds himself in front of a class of elite school students after impersonating his supply-teaching roommate, Ned Schneelby (Mike White, who also wrote the script). Going against the school’s remit he is soon teaching his class all he knows about rock (Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, The Who etc); the idea being that he enters them for the competition. Meanwhile, he has to keep the Principal (Joan Cusack) from finding out what he is up to – as well as all the other teachers… and the kids’ parents…