School Of Rot

Ok. So the first post to U-Music isn't a record, but rather a DVD. It is, however, a DVD largely about music. It is also a DVD which is singular for its badness. Jack Black's 'School of Rock' sucked so bad that I'm not even going to try to be artful in the way I say it.

I generally think Jack Black is pretty funny. I thought he was great for example in 'High Fidelity' where he played a deranged and judgmental record store clerk who wouldn't sell particular records to particular customers if he didn't think they were cool enough to own the vinyl. He was great in that movie.

In SOR however, he is supposed to be carrying the movie. With a script this bad it would have been a challenge for Bogart using a forklift. The basic premise is: Black impersonates his room-mate to get a teaching gig so he can earn enough dough to pay the rent. Along the way he teaches the kids some self respect through the magic of Rock and Roll, comes to care for his students very deeply and then almost goes to jail when his ruse is discovered. In the end he triumphs with a kick ass concert and the day is saved.

How original.

The dialogue is vapid. The acting is schlock. Black spends much of the movie playing air-guitar, something I gave up at fifteen when I was told by a cute girl that it looked like masturbation.

To my recollection the ONLY funny thing in this movie is a bobble-head skull on the dashboard of Mr. Black's van that bounces in time with Led Zeppelin.

Adding insult to injury, I actually bought this disk instead of renting it - although it was in the bargain bin. Well, if Dick Cheney ever needs a substitute for a clay pigeon or campaign contributor he can certainly use this disk.

View at your own risk.