Chalk (2007)

Simply A Masterpiece

Sadly Over-hyped

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

I had to keep reminding myself that this was in fact not a real documentary since what I was seeing was what I saw going on for years within the public school system (this was in 3 different states) as an educator then as a substitute. And I have known some people who thought this was a real documentary and then asking me if they should pull their kids out of public school and send them to a private school. Uh...private is not a lot better. As, if I recall, Drew Barrymore said, Been There. Done that. Got the T-Shirt. Try home schooling! :) All in all, this was a good movie that showed the inside workings of a public high school and was right on the money, even down to a teacher who has a major meltdown and throws something across the room. Or teachers that back-stab one another. The Play By the Rules Only teacher. The teachers who are intimidated by students, which happens more often than reported since a lot of those high school kids are huge... and scary. The administrative staff who has issues and problems coming at them from all sides, 24/7. What was not shown in the movie was how little teachers get paid and how that impacts their lives. I would have liked to see one of them being shown having to hold down a 2nd job in order to pay the bills (which is true for a lot of teachers, especially those who are single). This movie is a definite Must See for anyone with kids in school, be it public, private, religious, or even those that do home school, as well as educators, anyone working within the education system, and those thinking about majoring in education. Big wake-up call. Next movie out by Spurlock et al. should be about nurses. Now, that will scare the you-know-what out of you.

I rented the DVD because I come from a family of teachers, and one of them recommended that I watch the film in order to gain a better understanding of their jobs. I found it to be entertaining, but I obviously didn't appreciate it as much as teachers seem to, just as they probably don't appreciate all of the humor I find in "Office Space".The teachers who call this "true to life" must mean this in the same sense that a Korean War veteran once told me that M*A*S*H was true to life-- as a good caricature of some of the more extreme people and situations, intermixed with some reminders of what daily life was like, not as anything close to a realistic snapshot.I don't want to believe that there are really very many high school teachers like that. I wouldn't expect students to feel much respect for any of them.Time for me to get back to my TPS reports.

I graduated college in 1994 with a bachelors degree in Government, but was unable to get into any post-graduate program that I applied for. So I have had a series of low-paying jobs that don't require more than a high school education. Ever since then, my mother has been asking me why don't I take a salaried position as a teacher like my brother. The trouble is that my brother hates teaching, and only took it up because he couldn't find anything else. And from all of my other friends who have become teachers (or who used to be teachers but burned out), I have heard that it is a high-stress job with very few rewards.The movie "Chalk" is made by a group of teachers and does nothing to disabuse me of my beliefs about teaching as a profession. The teachers in the film are portrayed as a bunch of social misfits with serious relationship issues and middling intellects--in other words, not the sort of people who should be teaching kids. The one constant in their world is a lack of respect: not only from the students, but also from the parents and even each other.Troy Schremmer is the emotional core of the film as Mr. Lowery, a first-year history teacher who used to work in high tech. He is shocked to learn that reading "Classroom Management for Dummies" is inadequate preparation for teaching, and is intimidated by his students (and sometimes even their parents). Janelle Schremmer plays Coach Webb, who whines about men assuming she's a lesbian because she's a PE coach who doesn't wear makeup and keeps her hair cut short. She develops a crush on Mr. Lowery during the course of the year. Screenwriter Chris Mass plays Mr. Stroope, who makes up for his lack of brains with his enthusiasm for teaching and massive ego. His goal is to become teacher of the year, not by hard work and discipline but by trash-talking the other teachers and treating his students as if they were his peers. And there is Shannon Harrigan as Mrs. Reddell, a former choir teacher promoted to Assistant Principal. She is harried by all the other teachers--once her peers--expecting her to side with them in their various squabbles with each other, and her new responsibilities are taking a toll on her marriage.Many viewers have enthusiastically praised this film and compared it with the works of Christopher Guest--"This is Spinal Tap" in particular. The thing is, though, that Guest is a professional actor and director who had years to hone his craft before the cameras started rolling on "Spinal Tap". Michael McKean, Rob Reiner, and Harry Shearer also are show-biz professionals with established careers that predate "Spinal Tap". The director, writers and actors in "Chalk" are all actual teachers at the school where it was filmed. Many say this is an asset in that it gives the film an air of authenticity. I found it insufferable watching a bunch of people who can't act in a poorly shot film. And am I the only one who's sick of hand-held DV?I did like the fact that the movie avoids all the usual Hollywood clichés found in the typical "inspirational" film about teaching. And there was one funny moment when Mrs. Redell sings "We can teach if we want to" to the tune of "The Safety Dance" by Men Without Hats.But overall this is the work of amateurs. Appropriate perhaps to show to their families, students and co-workers, but not worthy of a paying audience. 5 out of 10.

As a teacher of 30+ years, I related to the comedy, the drama, the tears and the cheers of this funny, funny movie. Saw so many people that I have taught with over the years. How refreshing! Someone finally did it right!!!!! Do NOT miss this movie. I have told all of my colleagues that it would be a great way to end the school year with a hearty belly laugh. Hopefully, it will go into wide, wide distribution so that everyone in the nation will get a chance to see it. Can the TV series be far behind? I could've have fallen out of my seat when they showed the scene where the kids steal his chalk - happened to me in my first year of teaching. Too funny for words! Keep up the good work, Mike and Chris and all who are involved in this riotous project.