Why “School of Rock” Is Unironically My Favorite Movie
It sent me just the right message at just the right time.
When I was eleven years old, I thought I was more mature than all of the other kids because I didn’t like pop music. I preferred listening to the classic rock that my parents played in the car as I was growing up.
Naturally, when I was flipping through channels one day, a musical comedy about a man pretending to be a substitute teacher and forming a rock band with the students piqued my interest.
To this day, I am so grateful that I discovered the 2003 film School of Rock when I did. I can say with no exaggeration that this movie changed my life.
School of Rock stars Jack Black as Dewey Finn, a likable but preposterous guitarist and singer desperate to become a rockstar. To make some extra cash, he poses as his roommate in order to take a substitute teaching job at a prestigious prep school. After witnessing his fifth graders’ talent in their music class, he forms a rock band with them in an attempt to win a Battle of the Bands contest and make enough money to pay his rent.
It’s pretty much the most Jack-Black-esque movie premise I’ve ever heard. And I absolutely loved it.
One of the aspects of the move that immediately drew me in was Black’s performance. Dewey Finn’s over-the-top goofiness reminded me so much of my dad, who has always been one of my favorite people in the world. My dad is also a musician (albeit a drummer instead of a guitarist) who adores classic rock. He’s the funniest person I know. So, it makes sense that this movie’s protagonist resonated with me.
Of course, there’s also the soundtrack. I’ve listened to bands like AC/DC, Ramones, and Led Zeppelin for practically my whole life. Even at eleven years old, these songs gave me a comforting sense of nostalgia.
Additionally, this movie was about a class of kids my age doing “grown-up” things like playing in a rock band. Most of the kids’ movies I’d seen up until that point featured the young characters pretty much only interacting with other children. It felt a little disingenuous. By contrast, School of Rock felt realistic. These kids were beginning to enter the “adult” world at about the same time I was.
These were all great reasons to love the movie. But one scene in particular left an impression on me that has remained ever since.
The scene occurs right before the band is about to perform. One of the backup singers, Tomika, confides in Dewey that she’s nervous to sing in public (even though she has a strikingly powerful singing voice) because she’s worried that people will laugh at her for being fat.
Instead of uselessly assuring Tomika that she’s not fat, he tells her about Aretha Franklin. Even though “she’s a big lady,” she still blows people away with her voice. He tells her about his own “weight issue,” saying, “Once I get up on stage, start doing my thing, people worship me! Because I’m sexy!…And chubby, man.”
Tomika then asks him why he doesn’t just go on a diet, and Dewey gifts us with the absolutely iconic line, “Because I like to eat! Is that such a crime?”
When I first watched this movie, I was starting to become chubbier than most of my peers. I’d absorbed the societal messages that fat people were unattractive, and this short little scene flipped that on its head. Before that, the idea that I could be fat and attractive had been completely foreign to me. It was just the kind of message I needed to hear at that time.
Believe it or not, School of Rock also helped me develop as a writer almost a decade later. During my sophomore year of college, I’d been debating whether I’d want to try NaNoWriMo again that year. I’d tried it three times in the past, but I’d realized halfway through that my premises weren’t interesting enough to span an entire novel.
One day, I watched School of Rock again for probably at least the thirtieth time. Later that same day, I was scrolling through Tumblr and saw a post about The Legend of Korra.
Warning: Korra spoilers incoming.
The post talked about how the show’s whole romantic arc (two bisexual girls who dated the same guy end up dating each other) should become a new romance trope.
My brain combined those two media, and suddenly, I had a plot for my NaNoWriMo story: Two women in a punk rock band date the same dude before realizing they actually love each other, all while trying to make their band successful.
It was the first and only time I’ve ever finished NaNoWriMo.
It’s been five years now since I’ve written that story. It needs some major revamping. I’m not even sure if I’ll ever publish some version of it.
But one thing’s for sure: Without School of Rock, I never would have written this novel.
I learned a lot about the process of writing during those thirty days. Penning that novel was instrumental in helping me work through my budding bisexuality.
And I have a silly, Jack Black musical comedy to thank for it.
School of Rock has become something of a cult classic these days. It has spawned a Broadway musical and a Nickelodeon show. When I reference the movie (which happens embarrassingly often), most people at least have some familiarity with what I’m talking about.
I feel like not many people would pick a comedy as their favorite movie. But no other movie makes me as happy as this one does. It’s not even a guilty pleasure because I have no shame about how much I completely adore this movie.
If you’re looking for a fun, hilarious, nostalgic, and body-positive musical romp, I can’t recommend School of Rock enough.
