School of Rock (2003)

After being kicked out of his rock band, Dewey Finn becomes a substitute teacher of an uptight elementary private school, only to try and turn them into a rock band.

Director:

Richard Linklater

Writer:

Mike White

Stars:

Jack Black, Mike White, Joan Cusack

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 8 wins & 22 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jack Black	...	Dewey Finn
Adam Pascal	...	Theo
Lucas Papaelias	...	Neil
Chris Stack	...	Doug
Sarah Silverman	...	Patty Di Marco
Mike White	...	Ned Schneebly
Lucas Babin	...	Spider
Joan Cusack	...	Rosalie Mullins
Jordan-Claire Green	...	Michelle
Veronica Afflerbach	...	Eleni
Miranda Cosgrove	...	Summer Hathaway
Joey Gaydos Jr.	...	Zack
Robert Tsai	...	Lawrence
Angelo Massagli	...	Frankie
Kevin Alexander Clark	...	Freddy Jones (as Kevin Clark)

Storyline

After being kicked out of his rock band, guitarist Dewey Finn faces a mountain of debts and depression. He shares an apartment with an old band member, Ned Schneebly, who is now a substitute teacher. Dewey accepts a job as a substitute teacher at a snobbish private elementary school where his attitude and hijinx have a powerful result on his students. He learns they are talented young musicians, and he decides to form a rock band with them to win the $10,000 prize money in a local band contest. Once Dewey wins a competition called "Battle of the Bands", the prize money would solve his financial problems and put him back in the rock music spotlight.

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Plot Keywords:

teacher | substitute teacher | rock band | battle of the bands | impostor | 

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Taglines:

Heavy mental... Take notes.

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Genres:

Comedy | Music

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for some rude humor and drug references

Details

Official Sites:

Paramount UIP France [France]

Country:

USA Germany

Language:

English

Release Date:

3 October 2003 (USA)

Also Known As:

School of Rock

Filming Locations:

Buckley Country Day School - I.U. Willets Road, Herricks, Long Island, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$35,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$19,622,714, 5 October 2003, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$81,261,177

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$131,282,949

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures, Scott Rudin Productions, MFP Munich Film Partners GmbH & Company I. Produktions KG

Technical Specs

Runtime:

109 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Convicted murderer John Giuca appears as an extra in this movie. He pushes past Joan Cusack during a crowd scene.

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Goofs

The climactic "Battle of the Bands" event that the class cuts school to attend would typically be held at night, not on a weekday morning or afternoon.

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Quotes

Dewey Finn: Ok, here's the deal. I have a hangover. Who knows what that means?
Frankie: Doesn't that mean you're drunk?
Dewey Finn: No. It means I was drunk yesterday.
Freddy: It means you're an alcoholic.
Dewey Finn: Wrong.
Freddy: You wouldn't come to work with a hangover unless you were an alcoholic. Dude, you got a disease!
Dewey Finn: Hmmm... hmmm... What's your name?
Freddy: Freddy Jones.
Dewey Finn: Ok, Freddy Jones, shut up!

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Crazy Credits

Shortly after that, the band sings: The movie is over Credits got to roll Look at that name there I do not know that guy

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Alternate Versions

In the theatrical version of the film, the performance by School of Rock during the end credits is changed. Originally, after several solos, Dewey tells Katie she does not get one, as bassists don't get solos and that's just how it works. This was changed for the DVD and TV versions: Dewey does not tell Katie that bassists don't get solos and she does not assume she gets one anyhow.

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Connections

Featured in Maltin on Movies: Back to School Special (2012)

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Soundtracks

Ballrooms of Mars
by Marc Bolan
Performed by T. Rex
Courtesy of Wizard Bahamas Ltd
Issued under exclusive license from Demon Music Group Ltd.

User Reviews

This must be one of the best "feel good" movies ever!

I'm just like the pupils in this movie! I know nothing about Hard rock, Heavy Metal, or Led Zepelin! But still! This is as good as a "feel good" movie can ever be! Can Jack Black ever top this? One of the few movies that I wish was 15 minutes longer. And those kids! They are marvelous! not like the typical kids in movies (With huge crocodile tears). Snow White and the seven Dwarfs, modernized. Jack Black was throwned out into the world because a rock band thought he was too wild. Snow White Was throwned out of a castle because she was too beautiful, by an evil stepmother (or a boring ego tripped band leader, or a step-mother using witchcraft). Jack Black found new faith and hope and energy in all those pupils (Snow White found the same in the seven dwarfs)