Rock School (2005)

As a die-hard classic rock fan, I absolutely love this movie! "Rock School" is a movie that every future rock star should see.The person I was most amazed at, was 12-year-old CJ. I've never seen so much talent in a young boy. When he was at the Zappalan festival, everybody was bowing to him at the end of his performance.Will, Asa, and Tucker also had potential in music.Paul Green is a really good teacher when you think about it. Even though he can go off sometimes, it's usually for a good reason. I like people that know what real music is.In other words, everybody go see that documentary. 10 out of 10.

The hard part about writing this review is separating my feelings about this man (Paul Green), his school (The School of Rock in Philadelphia), and the documentary about both (Rock School). Paul is an arrogant, selfish, and demeaning man, but his school produces some incredible talent, and the movie that director Don Argott made is clever, witty, and downright funny.Paul Green's "School of Rock" has 120 students, ages 9 through 17, who learn to play everything from Black Sabbath to Frank Zappa, and most importantly, Paul gets his students on stage and teaches them how to perform like a rock star. But he's horrible. He's like Simon Cowell in that really mean and insulting kind of way. But perhaps that kind of cruelty pushes them to work even harder and practice more to perfect their craft. He does everything that any other teacher today would instantly get sued for – he curses at them, yells at them, makes them cry, hits them, tells them that they "suck," and asks them if they love Satan (he does that to pump them up for the Black Sabbath concert they're about to put on).It's endlessly amusing to watch 9 year-olds wear all black, smear eyeliner all over their eyes, draw crosses on their foreheads, and write "OZZY" on their knuckles. And to see their mom doing all that for them is even funnier! The coolest moment of Rock School, however, is when the very top students are flown to Germany to play at "Zappanele", the largest Frank Zappa Festival in the world, and they perform with an original member of Zappa's band. Then, to have the original band member, plus the entire Zappanele audience, blow before them in praise (literally bowing!) was out of this world! Not every music student gets an experience like that.Argot does a great job at showing us all sides of Paul Green's personality. I hate him in one scene and love what he does for these kids in the next. If Rock School does anything, it will make you want to get off your butt and start practicing…what ever it is that you love. You'll want to pick up an instrument, or start painting, or get back to studying. This movie makes you want to be the best at something, and it makes you want to work for it.

Very few votes so far, but I can't understand why they're so low. This is an excellent, throughly entertaining documentary that lets you make your own mind up about a very interesting individual's teaching methods, and the results he gets.I guess a lot of people just didn't approve of Paul and, as such, have given low ratings to register their disapproval. Idiots. How would you have come to feel so passionately about him if you hadn't seen such and insightful documentary? Speaking of which, this is one of the best I've seen in recent times. A love of the music involved will enhance your enjoyment I suppose, but it's not really about that. Check it out.

No one at Sundance had the temerity to ask director Don Argott if he began his documentary of the real-life School of Rock before or after Jason Black's eponymous comedy became a smash hit. In any event, it is fascinating to meet Paul Green, the school's founder, up close and personal. Green is a 30-something adolescent that has never recovered from his dream to be a rock star. So he lives his life vicariously through the kids, teaching them, getting them gigs and trying to mold his place as the greatest developer of young rock 'n roll talent in the world. (It's a nice moniker, but probably doesn't impress the chicks nearly as much as "Rock Star.") Imagine if you will parents paying good money for an after-school program where their children learn the music,history and culture significance of bands like Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin and Metallica. Watch Mom join in the fun by dressing up her nine-year-old boy like Ozzy Osbourne, with a fake cross tattoo on his forehead? (Being something of a traditional parent, Mom couldn't quite be convinced to allow her child to wear the pentagram and other satanic symbols he requested, but it was a close call.) Student Council this is not. But it must be worth it, right? Some of these kids can make their Stratocaster riff like Jimmy Page. And if they're lucky, maybe they can even be rock stars some day, which I'm sure will make them model citizens and bring unbridled happiness and contentment into their lives.Pardon the cynicism. I do love rock 'n roll. And the fact is, this is an entertaining film that flies by—which is a little unusual for a documentary. The kids seemed to like and respect Green, and I think he genuinely cares for them. But as a parent, I can't say that I'd wish the lifestyle on my kids. And I couldn't help but have a sick feeling hearing Mr. Green launch into profanity-filled tirades, or hearing some of the kids return fire.I'm sure that some good comes out of the experience. But at what cost?