In my opinion, School of Rock is the perfect coming of age film. It’s inclusive, has comedy, drama, romance, and it’s a story of tremendous character growth. The film itself has endless replay value, as the songs just get better and better with every watch. It might be Jack Black’s most famous role, and the film has a cast featuring genuinely talented child actors. None of these child actors seem fake or not needed, they all deliver. This is a film, where every character is there for a reason and it’s fantastic – especially when you consider how many different dynamics there are within the film between Jack Black’s characters.
More than anything though, School of Rock is the perfect coming of age film. Typically, coming of age films are based on adolescent characters learning about themselves as they venture through puberty, hormones, and a bunch of other things that make life seem difficult for when you’re in your teens. However, for School of Rock, the tale of Dewey Finn is the real coming of age story. As he touches those kids in the film (that scene killed me), he also touches the hearts of Principal Mullins and the hearts of the parents as well. Demonstrating that the best and only way you can stir up meaningful change in others, is to stir up meaningful change in yourself first.
And that’s why School or Rock is the perfect coming of age film. It’s as much for young people, as it is for a more mature audience. It teaches us that passion is important, and that harvesting relationships with people – is well worth it in the long run. I feel as though many adults at one point in their lives, understands Dewey, that they are unsure on whether life is going to work out for them or not. But Dewey, even if he lied, played towards his passion which was contagious, it’s what brought everyone’s character arcs together. So please, remember, to never stop dreaming and to never stop staying young and of course, that it’s a long way to the top, if you want to rock and roll.
