REVIEW: Rock School (DVD)

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Rock School is a documentary that came out in 2005. It’s about a real life school for kids 9-17 that want to learn how to play rock music.

Although a lot of Rock lyrics are inappropriate for children, I think most teens at least can understand that what they are singing/playing is music and not necessarily okay for everyday talk. I really thought it would be a great movie and I gotta admit the cover photo had me intrigued. That kid is young (we later find out he’s 9.) Not many moms would let their kid have that kind of hair.

When it comes down to it though, I didn’t like the documentary. Mostly because I highly disliked the rock school teacher. It’s possible he’s different in real life than how he was portrayed on screen but he acts like a egotistical jerk. He was yelling and screaming at the kids, even the 9 year olds, using totally profane language and being really mean too. I gather that kids into rock music are tougher than I was as a child (or maybe even am now) but I would NEVER pay money to send my kid to a school where he/she is yelled at and sworn at and made fun of.

There is one boy who had a really hard childhood and admits to having attempted suicide many times. He’s not great at rock music but the school gives him something to do with his time and a way to make friends. I was appalled at the way Paul Green (the teacher) speaks to the teen. Was he trying to make him attempt suicide again? Also apparently there’s this little joke that’s an
“inside joke” so that it’s only between the boy and Paul and maybe the other rockers. But instead when Paul Green is interviewed for a newspaper, he tells the joke publicly which really hurts the teen and even makes his mom want to sue Paul.

Even if you take away the actual story, the filming itself isn’t great. You can tell it’s not professionally made with jerky cameras and shots that cut off parts of people.

The movie has a 6.5/10 rating currently at IMBD (out of 691 votes) so obviously not everyone agrees with me on the movie and the school. It scored even better on Rotten Tomatoes. However if you are offended by profane language or don’t agree with kids listening to or playing rock music (like Black Sabbath) then don’t watch the video.

My Score: 2/5
Run time: 1h 33min
Rating Canada: 14A for Course Language and Mature Theme (except BC which rated it PG!)
Rating USA: R

You can find out the ratings in other countries at the IMBD site.