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Troy Schremmer, Janelle Schremmer, Shannon Haragan, Chris Mass, Jeff Guerrero ... see more see more... , Jerry Jarmon , Kaytea Brock , Dan Eggleston , Glen Lewis , Wendy Campbell , Jacqueline Seaborn

Four educators muddle through another year at a typical American high school in this mockumentary comedy. Mr. Lowery (Troy Schremmer), Mr. Stroope (Chris Mass), and Coach Webb (Janelle Schremmer) are ... read more read more...three teachers doling out knowledge at a high school in Austin, TX. Mr. Lowery is new to teaching, and has to deal with his own inexperience as well as a decided lack of enthusiasm for history among his students; it doesn't help Lowery that the kids quickly learn how to push his buttons. Mr. Stroope has been on the faculty for three years, and is zealously campaigning for the honor of "Teacher of the Year." Stroope has enlisted his students to help him win the prize, even though they seem less than impressed with his academic abilities. Coach Webb teaches Girl's Gym, and despite her short hair and severe manner, she frequently and enthusiastically insists that she's heterosexual. Webb also insists on following the school's regulations to the letter, and has unusual ideas about how to make Gym seem hip and fun for her charges. Meanwhile, Mrs. Reddell (Shannon Haragan) has recently been promoted from the teaching staff to her new position as assistant principal, which has put a tremendous strain on her friendship with her colleagues, especially Webb. Chalk received the Grand Jury Award for Best Narrative Feature at the Independent Film Festival of Boston. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Flixster Users

60% liked it

3,819 ratings

Critics

79% liked it

43 critics

PG-13, 1 hr. 24 min.

Directed by: Mike Akel

Release Date: February 9, 2007

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DVD Release Date: September 25, 2007

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Stats: 487 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (487)

  • FrizzDrop
    June 2, 2011
    FrizzDrop
    This film meant to be touching, inspirational, and a behind the scenes look at the fate of people thrust or placed in teaching professions. Along the way someone decided to also make this a mockumentary, either because they didn't have enough money to make it into a real film or ... read morethey were just lazy. The supposed funny parts of the film would maybe work as sketches in an improv group, but in this film they feel out of place. The mockumentary feel of films like Christopher Guest are awkward and semi-realistic. This film was very guarded and up in arms, adding self-recorded messages by the characters in a confession booth situation reminiscent of The Real World. The protagonist was the starring attraction, as a first time teacher evolves from a tongue-tied individual, to a humorous and yet nurturing educator. Props also go to the students in the film, who were the most realistic thing about this movie.
  • itsjustme2004
    September 6, 2010
    itsjustme2004
    hmmmm. I wanted it to be much better than it was. It had it's moments, but all in all it was a little lame.
  • rjayhutchinson
    July 31, 2010
    rjayhutchinson
    This sometimes goofy mockumentary overcomes a rather poor screenplay (which nevertheless has its golden moments) with two great performances from Troy Schremmer and Janelle Schremmer as well as a great conclusion that convinces me, as a student, that this film is genuine in trans... read morecending the actual feelings of a high school teacher.
  • dreamfaeries
    June 3, 2010
    dreamfaeries
    It made me sea-sick watching. It was okay, but not enough to recommend to people...
  • Stinger839
    October 24, 2008
    Stinger839
    A frighteningly realistic portrayal of life as a high school teacher. The documentary mode is broken by an oddly-placed romantic sequence at 36 minutes which is the only hint that this is not real; this scene should NEVER have been filmed and I see NO point in including it beside... read mores ruining the little style this film had. Cut that scene and this film would be massively better and I would have actually heard about it during festival time instead of two years later on Netflix Instant Watch.

    For people who've recently endured or are enduring the high school nightmare, this is starkly real, and made me realize that I could never work as a teacher because I'm far too radical in beliefs. It perfectly captures a few of the unbearable teacher types (emphasis on the guy who tries too hard to be liked by his students).
  • wbgoose13
    July 2, 2007
    wbgoose13
    A sharp and winning mockumentary of teachers over course of school year.
  • trisarahtops22
    May 16, 2010
    trisarahtops22
    I think having the film shot in the way of a documentary was one of the best things about this movie. It was believable and funny.
  • KLFilmmaker
    September 28, 2007
    KLFilmmaker
    There's a couple decent scenes and the cast of non-actors do alright.
  • TonyPolito
    August 16, 2010
    TonyPolito
    Thumbs way down. On the eject button, that is, which I pressed barely half-way into this snail-paced mockumentary regarding the trials and tribulations of teachers trapped inside (a typically) dysfunctional K-12 system.

    As someone who has a great deal of teaching experience in ... read moreboth good and bad environs, this film seemed utterly pointless to me. It does nothing more than introduce the viewer to a few of the basic dysfunctional scenarios unfortunately too often found in K-12 these days.

    There's nothing here that most people would not already know or guess about what teachers typically face in such schools, especially if they've viewed any of the other mainstream "teacher" films that abound.

    RECOMMENDATION: An uninformative and unengaging film.
  • philliprenke
    February 8, 2009
    philliprenke
    Shot documentary style, this movie is a humorous look at what it's like being a high school teacher, from dealing with students, co-teachers, unhelpful priciples to jammed copiers.

View All Chalk Reviews

Critic Reviews

Ty Burr
September 14, 2007
Ty Burr, Boston Globe

Chalk might have been both funnier and more penetrating as a real documentary. Full Review

David Wiegand
September 7, 2007
David Wiegand, San Francisco Chronicle

Chalk is a gentle mockumentary about high school teachers -- so gentle, you wonder why anyone bothered. So gentle, it verges on 'what's the point?' Full Review

Lisa Kennedy
July 28, 2007
Lisa Kennedy, Denver Post

The movie offers some modest, amusing and true lessons about an honorable profession. Full Review

Andrew Sarris
June 13, 2007
Andrew Sarris, New York Observer

Chalk is a message from the horse's mouth, and is thereby humorously instructive without ever becoming sarcastic or judgmental. Full Review

V.A. Musetto
June 8, 2007
V.A. Musetto, New York Post

The indie film is funny and, at times, heartbreaking. Wisely, it avoids the happy ending that Hollywood would have insisted upon. Full Review

Elizabeth Weitzman
June 8, 2007
Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News

An unassuming indie comedy that just happens to be terrific, Mike Akel's deceptively modest debut is, unfortunately, as likely to go unrewarded as the thousands of teachers who do a great job with lit... Full Review

Stephen Holden
June 8, 2007
Stephen Holden, New York Times

So convincingly acted that if it didn't include brief interludes in which the grown-ups suddenly break into musical-comedy mode or reflect out loud in video diary segments, you might not guess it is f... Full Review

Scott Foundas
June 6, 2007
Scott Foundas, Village Voice

Chalk was actually shot in a loose, improvisational manner modeled after the films of Christopher Guest, and its best set-pieces are like devastatingly effective pin pricks at the Hollywood hot-air ba... Full Review

Jonathan Rosenbaum
June 2, 2007
Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader

Chalk approaches the painful social awkwardness of The Office. Full Review

Sid Smith
May 24, 2007
Sid Smith, Chicago Tribune

An A-for-effort novelty that, by the end, barely musters a passing grade. Full Review

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