Parents' Guide to School of Rock

In a perfect role for Black, this music comedy allows him to be ridiculous, charming, and hilarious. Pair Black with a bunch of adorable fifth graders, throw in some choice rock tunes, and together, School of Rock quickly becomes a comedy classic. Penned by White (The Good Girl, The White Lotus), this heartfelt comedy also has some strong lessons to teach beyond how the power of music can move people. Some of these lessons admonish overbearing parents, show image-conscious kids what's really important, and encourage children to lean into what they're really passionate about. Leading up to a fantastic final performance, this film shows kids how fun and rewarding music can be.

This is by far one of the most accessible and conventional films from director Richard Linklater (Waking Life, Dazed and Confused). Black is enormously entertaining, and the kids are terrific. The cast is wonderful, and Joan Cusack shines as the buttoned-up principal struggling to keep her wits around angry parents. The film also avoids potentially tricky areas a story about rock 'n' roll music might involve, like drugs and sexual content. The brief scene about "groupies" might still offend some parents, but Black's character handles his explanation to the kids well enough. Dewey generally becomes a strong and positive role model for the kids, especially shown when he protects one kid from a bunch of older musicians smoking cigarettes around him in a van.