Rock School

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.

Anytime I learn something new about teaching, I feel my day has been made. Don Argot's documentary, Rock School, did that for me today. I watched a gifted Paul Green take a group of 9 to 17 year olds in his Paul Green School for Rock Music in Philadelphia and make them into a band playing Black Sabbath, Santana, and a Zappa that an audience bowed to at a German Zappanele concert.

I learned that you can abuse learners with profanity dominated by variations of "f---" ("Don't f---ing make mistakes!") and reality about their inadequacies ("You mess up once and I'll f---ing punch your face out.") and keep your job while your students achieve undreamed of results.

Green's cherubic visage, sincere love of the young, and obsession with making the right music are all ingredients of his success, which is crystallized in the memorable performances of his charges: CJ can play almost perfect guitar even sitting down with a bone malfunction, Madi sheds her dorky Sheryl Crowe bit to sing with original style, and young twins Asa and Tucker can do spot on Ozzy Osborne imitations.

Unlike old fictional chestnuts such as To Sir with Love, Mr. Holland's Opus, and Dead Poets SOciety, which purport to show the gifted teacher at work, this documentary honestly shows the flaws and virtues of a dedicated facilitator living only to see his pupils excel.

Rock School may have too much music and not enough insightful conversation and narration, but at least I could witness the artistic process at work. "If it wasn't for rock school, I'd probably be dead," says one student deeply hooked by the school's charismatic leader and unmitigated success. Teeners tend to exaggerate, but in this case it's certain he'd be spiritually lost without this unreal world of eccentric achievement, an after school activity like no other.

Rock on.

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?

This was a well made Film. Nice editing work. The subject matter was interesting - with lotsa' "colorful" characters - However - it was really really sad to hear all these kids talk about being a "Rock Star"...as if that's what Rock music has come down to. All the kids are pretty rotten musicians - they seem more interested in being famous rather than writing good songs...and the Teach doesn't help either - he's more interested in being a "famous" teacher than actually inspiring the kids to follow their own muse and create their own thing. With a lot of practice these kids will grow up to be good Wedding Band/Bar Band Musicians - but that's about it. I guess kids who are truly interested in making music wouldn't join a school for it anyhow - so no harm done ... and it is pretty funny watching the kids butcher and mimic classic rock. You can't teach passion, and you can't learn creativity - but it can be encouraged - and it doesn't seem like this Rock School is a good place for that. Then again it's better than nothing at all.

I wish there had been something like this when I was younger rather than my 70 year old music teacher who had no idea what was going on in the music I was listening to at the time other than the certainty that "that's not music that's just loud banging and screaming!" It's one thing to understand notes and technical aspects of being a musician but an understanding of attitude, performance, vibe, etc is a necessary trait that most music instructors lack. I got a kick out of watching him treat the kids as peers instead of condescending to them. Great finale as well. I really dug the movie. Teaching kids to rock is a noble calling indeed :) Can't wait to see it again when it comes out proper.