“Geometry? Which one is that?” asks an educator in the teachers lounge at fictional Harrison High School.
“The one with shapes,” another answers tentatively.
Mock them if you must, but feel for them too.
That might be one of the endearing lessons of “Chalk,” first-time director Mike Akel’s indie comedy about a year in the lives of an oddster collection of public-school teachers.
Audiences will recognize the goofball influence of Christopher Guest on this mockumentary that follows Mr. Lowrey, Coach Webb, Mr. Stroope and assistant principal Reddell as they endure a year in the trenches. Yet “Chalk” exhibits an arid earnestness closer to Guest’s “A Mighty Wind” than the achingly funny observations of “Best in Show.”
With a ridiculous mix of verité camerawork, talking-head interviews and video-diary entries recorded by the teachers during their off hours, “Chalk” delivers plenty of painful-funny moments.
One would need the emotional aptitude of an earthworm not to wince with empathy for classroom newbie Mr. Lowrey (Troy Schremmer). A transplant from the private sector, the history teacher makes fresh meat of himself when he admits to a classroom of the glassy-eyed he’s been teaching for slightly more than, ahem, an hour.
A scene of minor humiliation, in which Lowrey desperately looks for his lost piece of chalk, provides the movie its title.
Schremmer’s portrayal of the teacher moving from stiff to slightly less ramrod gives “Chalk” a surprisingly touching character arc.
All the actors nail their character’s reality with fine improv touches. Coach Webb (Janelle Schremmer) bleats that all P.E. teachers are not gay. She’s not – just bossy.
It’s not that these instructors aren’t dedicated. They’re just stumped about how to be effective in their kids’ lives.
Stroope (Chris Mass, Akel’s co- writer) tries to bond with his students even as he drafts them into his campaign for “Teacher of the Year.”
First-year assistant principal Reddell (Shannon Haragan) spends her time trying to protect her marriage, deflect her friend Webb’s ever-crankier demands, and pay rapt attention to the yarns of Harrison’s principal.
“Chalk” is the first film released under the “Morgan Spurlock Presents” banner. But it’s hardly supersized. Instead, the movie offers some modest, amusing and true lessons about an honorable profession.
This mockumentary’s onscreen timeline tags revolve around school not being in session. “33 weeks until summer” is the first.
Here’s a twist: Enjoy “Chalk” while there are seven weeks until school.
“Chalk”
PG-13 for some language|1 hour, 25 minutes|MOCKUMENTARY|Directed by Mike Akel; written by Akel and Chris Mass; photography by Steven Schaefer; starring Troy Schremmer, Chris Mass, Janelle Schremmer, Shannon Haragan |Opens today at the Starz FilmCenter.
