By David Young · August 28, 2023
Jack Black’s work runs the gamut: From heartfelt romantic films to action flicks, he has extended his reach into various genres despite being a ubiquitous name in comedy. This Jack of all trades has created profound versatility in what we like to call Jack Black movies. He doesn’t just take comic relief roles, either — he’s been a romantic interest, a sleazeball, an action hero and a murderer. Whether as a lead role or a supporting character, his presence is always strong and natural.
Without further ado, read on to download scripts that celebrate Jack Black, whether you’ve got a hankering for hilarity or want to marvel at the more serious characters he plays.
Dewey Finn (Jack Black) is a musician to whom fate has not been kind. Desperate for a paycheck, he takes a substitute teacher position posing as his roommate, only to find himself way out of his element. It’s only through his quick thinking and his use of music as a learning tool that he starts to garner interest and curry favor with the kids in his class — though his deceit ultimately leads to more consequences for himself and his unwitting roommate.
Black’s goofy, charismatic roleplaying and musical chops inspired Mike White (once neighbors with Jack Black) to write this script with him in mind. The amount of character work that went into it is a direct result of that relationship — making School of Rock a paragon of Jack-Black-ness.
Read More: The Back to School Movie: Films That Taught Us How to Grow Up
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Yet another outlet for what makes Jack Black movies so special – his undeniable musical talent – High Fidelity is a film where he isn’t the “frontman” but still makes a lasting impression. The story follows a man’s (John Cusack) romantic epiphany story as he delves into his former mistakes to see where he went wrong with his current love, Laura. His efforts to win Laura back take him front and center, but Jack Black’s character Barry stands out in more than one way to fit and support the story.
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In this flick, Mike (Mos Def) and his eccentric pal Jerry (Jack Black) become responsible for the accidental erasure of all the videotapes in a struggling video store. They then work around this issue by recording their own versions of each movie up for rental — resulting in hilarity and cheap effects, all further exaggerated by Black’s goofball character performance.
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In a film where Black plays one of two male romantic leads, The Holiday sees two women trade off their homes as vacation rentals. Each one becomes part of a tryst that further complicates the reasons they left their homes in the first place.
Jack Black’s character Miles is one such welcome complication for Iris (Kate Winslet), using goofy charm to call out realistic, awkward moments while still using keen, natural suavity and melody-making to woo audiences as well as this woman from across the pond.
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Kaiju films add a little extra “oomph” to certain types of stories, including adventures like that of King Kong. In it, Jack Black’s character Carl Denham — a 1930s director with a mountain of debts — begins to make dubious choices and literal sacrifices to try and capitalize on the biggest possible exploitation opportunity of his life.
But it’s not just his choices that stand out: Denham carries the artful, skeevy nature of a conman and the scheming, diplomatic talents of a man in dire straits. He has a versatility that brings character to life in action and drama scenes alike, doing Denham’s character incredible justice in this 2005 remake.
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As a “fish out of water,” a klutzy panda named Po (Jack Black) becomes conscripted into an ancient order of legendary kung fu warriors. From his life in a noodle shop to struggling with the skills of a martial arts master, Po’s commission to save his people shows Jack Black assuming yet another fantasy epic role with masterful voice delivery.
Read More: 5 Plot Points of Kung Fu Panda
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As a spiritual successor to the first Jumanji starring legendary actor Robin Williams, Welcome to the Jungle does a few things differently. For one thing, the game brings everyone inside this time, rather than releasing a dangerous fantasy into the real world. That said, it’s a perfect blend of action and comedy that makes this a favorite among Jack Black movies.
He and his co-stars are capable of showcasing their chops — acting as avatars for the kids entering this game and the dangerous world within. Seeing Black as an action-adventure hero is refreshing and — as he always is — entertaining!
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This dramedy in the usual style of writer-director Noah Baumbach puts Black in the role of Malcolm, an unimpressive specimen in the eyes of his future sister-in-law. Margot, the sister-in-law in question, attempts to get her sister to see reason — resulting in a toxic whirlwind that reveals secrets and messy surprises aplenty. Reading his role will show you exactly how much Jack Black does to portray yet another character who’s not completely comedic.
Read More: Writer/Director Noah Baumbach Discusses While We’re Young
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Jack Black’s versatility shows up in spades during the crime film Bernie as he weaves charisma and the broken psyche of a real-life killer whose reactions are golden, whether it’s at home with his wife or in the eye of society. Biographical in nature, Black portrays Bernie Tiede, a mortician in his late 30s whose sudden marriage to a dowager raises eyebrows. We see Bernie’s social life start to suffer under the weight of his marriage to 81-year-old Marjorie. Eyebrows only rise higher — as do the tensions — when Bernie hides Marjorie’s mysterious disappearance for months after murdering her in a crime of passion.
Even his dual-pronged way of showing Bernie’s crime and his conflicted mental state gives Black some dramatic depth not often seen in his other roles!
Read More: Interview: Jack Black as Bernie – AFI Fest
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As the most meta and self-aware project on this list, Tropic Thunder’s star-studded cast involves a motley crew of actors creating a war film in the jungle only to discover real dangers: gang violence and terrorism, to name a few. Thanks to Black’s crude humor and powerful expressions, he keenly depicts the dangers of addiction and successfully parodizes the war film traditions of Hollywood while keeping the “real” tensions high.
Read More: 5 Plot Points: Tropic Thunder
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You can sell versatility in stories quite well, especially when you base your work on actors like Jack Black. His comic chops combine with more dramatic roles to display a slate that any actor, musician or writer can be inspired by. By looking at how he works and what he’s achieved in his acting and storytelling, you will start finding ways to build character versatility in your own stories!
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