We hadn't intended to watch this movie, mostly because I don't care for Jack Black.  But I heard good things about it and decided to give it a whirl.  Well I was pleasantly surprised.   The movie was fun to watch.   Roger Ebert says: "Here is a movie that proves you can make a family film that's alive and well-acted and smart and perceptive and funny -- and that rocks."   But it's not rated family and what I can not understand is why someone would make a movie with a PG 13 rating about 10 year olds.   I was not real keen on some of the messages the movie sends, but then it is about 1980's rock.  That was the time of hard rock, not just protest, but outright rebellion.  So I guess the movie's little vagaries are mild against what it was.  At best I can suggest if your younger kids watch it, parents watch it with them and discuss some of the issues it raises.   All in all it's a good, funny nights entertainment.

Lutz's Rating   Judy's Rating

Storyline From Yahoo:  Fired from his band, rock guitarist and vocalist Dewey Finn (Black) takes a job as a 4th grade substitute teacher at an uptight private school where his free livin' lifestyle, attitude, music and antics soon influences the students to explore other sides of themselves the school doesn't encourage. Finn's real goal in taking the job is to recruit a 9-year-old guitar prodigy, Yuki, to become the lead guitarist in a band that would be able to win a "battle of bands", solving Finn's money problems and re-establishing him as a respected rocker. Ratings: Critics B+     Users B+