Movie Review
The School of Rock: "One of the Best"

by Sam Segan and Judy Silberstein

(October 13, 2003) Local movie-viewers have an extra treat in store with The School of Rock: it’s a rocking movie and you’ll get a glimpse of Larchmont’s own James Hosey – Hommocks 7th grader, Flint Park camper, and screen actor. Chatsworth third-grader Sam Segan braved the weekend crowds at the Clearwater in Mamaroneck and filed this review:

SAM’S PLOT SUMMARY:

It’s about a substitute teacher, played by Jack Black. He is a fake, though, and he teaches the whole class to do music instead of what the really strict school usually teaches – math, geography and so on.

Jack Black trades in their books for electric guitars and drums.

Jack rips down the performance chart with all its stars. There are no more exams, no more grades – only the big test of the Battle of the Band. The class goal is to win the battle and walk off with the $20 thousand grand prize.

James is one of the students in the class. They’re all good kids – they behave themselves. James gets to be the “roadie” – going on the road and running the smoke machine special effects.

When the strict principal finally finds out, uh oh!

Will the principal ruin the day?

Or will the kids rule the Battle of the Bands

You’ll have to run over to Clearview in Mamaroneck or Regal Cinema at New Roc to find out what happens.

SAM’S REVIEW:

It’s good – I particularly like the end.

The music is spectacular – even my Dad liked it. And Jack Black is really funny – I laughed myself out of my seat.

James Hosey – I know him from Flint Park Day Camp – looks like he is having a really fun time. He is a really good actor – only problem is we don’t see much of him in the movie. He’s a natural.

People should definitely go to The School of Rock. This is one of the best movies I’ve seen.

THE ACTOR:
James Hosey's mother Meg speaks with Judy Silberstein

James comes from a family of actors – his mother Meg and sixteen year-old brother Anthony are also in the Screen Actors Guild.

”James - as the red-headed, freckle-face – gets all the work,” said his mom.

He was in his first commercial at age five, and has done fifteen since then, including one for Office Depot with astronaut Sally Ride and one for Papa Gino’s pizza with quarterback Drew Bledsoe. He had the most fun in an ad for Tide that is airing currently. For two days he got to play baseball – leaping, sliding, and generally getting his uniform filthy.

For the The School of Rock stint he was in production for three months – from Thanksgiving to March. “He was tutored on the set and had the full support of his counselors, teachers and principal at the Hommocks,” said his mother.

“He’s very good at what he does,” she said. “And he likes to do it. But he’s not a song and dance, showboat kid.” James has the patience and temperament needed to follow the slow, detailed process of putting together a movie.

Meg Hosey agrees with Sam Segan’s review. She took her young nieces to the preview and they rated it “better than Finding Nemo.”

“You can take anyone to this movie – from grandkids to grandpas – everyone will have a ball,” she said.

Movie fans seem to agree. The movie opened October 3, and grossed over $19 million the first weekend and over $15 million the next.

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