This plot may sound rather hackneyed, but "School Of Rock" doesn't succeed by avoiding cliches; it succeeds my embracing them with all the vigor and passion of Dewey playing a guitar solo. The movie's overbearing earnestness, which I typically find to be more of a turnoff than a woman with bigger muscles than me, turns out to be its greatest asset. The reason? Because "School Of Rock" conveys the too-often-forgotten lesson that people need to lighten up, and rock music has long been a valuable device for doing just that. At its heart, the film's message is simple but enormously effective: that Rock 'n' Roll really just might be able to change the world.

It all comes to a head in the film's monster conclusion, with Dewey donning an Angus Young-styled schoolboy uniform for the Battle of the Bands. Black absolutely owns the stage in this scene; there's no way the image of him performing won't be indelibly etched in the minds of all who see it. If you know your stuff, you can also see the nods to Yes and The Clash in the kids' attire. The song the band performs, fittingly titled "School Of Rock," is a lot like the movie itself: it's filled with rock cliches, but its youthful rebellion and energy more than make up for it. It certainly beats much of what's on the radio today, just as the movie beats much of what's in your local multiplex. Sometimes good intentions and inspired acting can carry a film, and "School of Rock" is one such example.

This plot may sound rather hackneyed, but "School Of Rock" doesn't succeed by avoiding cliches; it succeeds my embracing them with all the vigor and passion of Dewey playing a guitar solo. The movie's overbearing earnestness, which I typically find to be more of a turnoff than a woman with bigger muscles than me, turns out to be its greatest asset. The reason? Because "School Of Rock" conveys the too-often-forgotten lesson that people need to lighten up, and rock music has long been a valuable device for doing just that. At its heart, the film's message is simple but enormously effective: that Rock 'n' Roll really just might be able to change the world.

It all comes to a head in the film's monster conclusion, with Dewey donning an Angus Young-styled schoolboy uniform for the Battle of the Bands. Black absolutely owns the stage in this scene; there's no way the image of him performing won't be indelibly etched in the minds of all who see it. If you know your stuff, you can also see the nods to Yes and The Clash in the kids' attire. The song the band performs, fittingly titled "School Of Rock," is a lot like the movie itself: it's filled with rock cliches, but its youthful rebellion and energy more than make up for it. It certainly beats much of what's on the radio today, just as the movie beats much of what's in your local multiplex. Sometimes good intentions and inspired acting can carry a film, and "School of Rock" is one such example.