''Chalk'' is a 2006 comedy
mockumentary
A mockumentary (a blend of ''mock'' and ''documentary''), fake documentary or docu-comedy is a type of film or television show depicting fictional events but presented as a documentary.
These productions are often used to analyze or comment on c ...
about
teaching
Teaching is the practice implemented by a ''teacher'' aimed at transmitting skills (knowledge, know-how, and interpersonal skills) to a learner, a student, or any other audience in the context of an educational institution. Teaching is closely re ...
focusing on the lives of three teachers and one assistant principal. It stars Chris Mass as Mr. Stroope and Troy Schremmer as Mr. Lowrey. It is directed by Mike Akel. The movie is based on both Akel's and Mass' real life experiences in the teaching profession.
[LA Weekly - Film+TV - Film Reviews: Chalk, The Ex, 28 Weeks Later and Delta Farce - L.a. Weekly Film Critics - The Essential Online Resource for Los Angeles]
Co-written by Mass and Akel, the film was developed through
improvisation
Improvisation is the activity of making or doing something not planned beforehand, using whatever can be found. Improvisation in the performing arts is a very spontaneous performance without specific or scripted preparation. The skills of impr ...
all the way through the process, from writing through production and post-production. The final film was edited together from more than 60 hours of footage.
The film premiered in March, 2006 at the "Cinequest Film Festival", presented in April 2006 at the "Boston Independent Film Festival", and released in
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
on May 11, 2007, playing at the
Nuart Theatre
The Nuart Theatre is an art house movie theater in Los Angeles, California, United States. It is the flagship location of the Landmark Theatres chain in the United States.
Location
The Nuart is on Santa Monica Boulevard, one block from the 405 ...
and in more cities in subsequent weeks. The film begins by stating that 50 percent of teachers quit within their first three years on the job.
The film has received a mostly positive response from critics regarding it as an
antithesis
Antithesis (Greek for "setting opposite", from "against" and "placing") is used in writing or speech either as a proposition that contrasts with or reverses some previously mentioned proposition, or when two opposites are introduced together f ...
to the more common inspirational teacher movies. ''
LA Weekly
''LA Weekly'' is a free weekly alternative newspaper in Los Angeles, California. It was founded in 1978 by Jay Levin, who served as president and editor until 1991. Voice Media Group sold the paper in late 2017 to Semanal Media LLC, whose paren ...
'' in its review stated to think of it as "To Sir, With Sarcasm.".
Teachers who saw the film noted how the film "nailed" the experiences of a new teacher.
[Movie Review – Chalk – eFilmCritic]
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Plot
The film takes the course of an entire school year and describes three teachers and one assistant principal. Mr. Stroope is campaigning for Teacher of the Year but many of his students are a little bit smarter than him. Mr. Lowrey is an introverted first-time history teacher struggling to find passion for his new profession. Coach Webb (played by Janelle Schremmer) is a female gym teacher who is struggling to get her students to take her class seriously, and becomes interested in Mr. Lowrey. Mrs. Reddell (Shannon Haragan) is the first year assistant principal who is regretting leaving teaching.
Reception
''Chalk'' opened with a limited release on May 11, 2007. Reviews have been mostly positive and appreciated the more realistic approach toward the teaching profession as opposed to the more frequent teacher inspiration films that would include the classic ''Goodbye, Mr. Chips
''Goodbye, Mr. Chips'' is a novella about the life of a school teacher, Mr. Chipping, written by English writer James Hilton and first published by Hodder & Stoughton in October 1934. It has been adapted into two feature films and two televi ...
'' and ''To Sir, With Love
''To Sir, with Love'' is a 1967 British drama film that deals with social and racial issues in an inner city school. It stars Sidney Poitier and features Christian Roberts, Judy Geeson, Suzy Kendall and singer Lulu making her film debut. Jam ...
'' to the more recent ''Freedom Writers
''Freedom Writers'' is a 2007 American drama film written and directed by Richard LaGravenese and starring Hilary Swank, Scott Glenn, Imelda Staunton, Patrick Dempsey and Mario.
It is based on the 1999 book ''The Freedom Writers Diary'' by teac ...
''. ''LA Weekly'' stated in its review that its "best set pieces are like devastatingly effective pinpricks puncturing the Hollywood hot-air balloon of inspirational teacher/coach melodramas." Teachers who saw the film also said it was a very accurate portrayal of the teaching profession.
''Chalk'' was nominated for the John Cassavetes Award from the Independent Spirit Awards
The Independent Spirit Awards (abbreviated Spirit Awards and originally known as the FINDIE or Friends of Independents Awards), founded in 1984, are awards dedicated to independent filmmakers. Winners were typically presented with Poly(methyl m ...
in 2006. It also won Outstanding Performance by Ensemble Cast (Narrative Competition) at the 2006 Los Angeles film festival.Chalk (2007) - Awards and Nominations - Yahoo! Movies
Background
The film is based on both Chris Mass' and Mike Akel's own experiences in
public education
State schools (in England, Wales, Australia and New Zealand) or public schools (Scottish English and North American English) are generally primary or secondary schools that educate all students without charge. They are funded in whole or in pa ...
and even used their former students as extras. The cast is made up entirely of unknowns and was produced on a very low budget.
The performers were allowed plenty of room to ad-lib but the film still had to be structured. Over 60 hours of footage was filmed while improvisation was used through the entire process from writing, production, and post-production until the final version was made.
Credited cast
*Kaytea Brock
*Dan Eggleston
*Jeff Guerrero as Mr. G
*Shannon Haragan as Mrs. Reddell
*Jerry Jarmon
*Glen Lewis
*Chris Mass as Mr. Stroope
*Janelle Schremmer as Coach Webb
*Troy Schremmer as Mr. Lowrey
*Jacqueline Seaborn
*Jeffrey Travis as a math teacher
References
External links
*{{IMDb title, id=0758738, title=Chalk
*
Chalk' at
Movies.com
Movies.com was a website; the URL now redirects to that of its owner, Fandango Media.
It was acquired from The Walt Disney Company in June 2008.
The site was home to the award-winning webshow '' Statler and Waldorf: From the Balcony'', a bi-we ...
2006 films
American independent films
2006 comedy films
American mockumentary films
Films about educators
Films set in schools
2000s English-language films
2000s American films