Rock School

Reviewed by:
Jordan Burchette

Years before Jack Black donned velveteen knickers to lead a classroom rock revolt in School of Rock, Paul Green was molding 9- to 17-year-old children into junior guitar gods—by raining insults, barking criticism, and generally shitting on their tender adolescent sensibilities. While it's unclear whether Green provided the inspiration for the Paramount movie, he has somehow provided the inspiration for some kick-ass mini monsters of rock.

Set within Philadelphia's Paul Green School of Rock, the documentary traces the rockademic development of the institution's varied student body—ranging from suicidal malcontents to hip-hop Quakers—en route to a climactic performance at Germany's Zappanale festival. Along the way, the camera stays neutral as Green fondly prods, provokes, and permanently scars these kids into axe-wielding, skins-pounding, larynx-shredding rock stars. If Black was half the petulant, F-bomb-dropping asshole Green is in this decidedly R-rated documentary, those little punks wouldn't have made it past midterms.