Jonathan Rosenbaum of the "Chicago Reader" called the film "a rebellious teen comedy that isn't as good or as radical as "Pump Up the Volume," but still feels like a shot in the arm and is full of irreverent energy." He added, "Despite an ineffectual subplot about the hero's absent father, there are some good satirical riffs here on adult hypocrisies (with Robert Downey Jr. especially good as the beleaguered, alcoholic school principal), a few echoes of the underrated "Mumford", and lots of high spirits."