"Chalk" is the sort of quiet comedy which can be an enjoyable way to kill 90 minutes, but not much more than that.  A mockumentary, the film follows the teachers and administration in Harrison High,  a suburban high school, as the new year begins.  Unlike some more sharp-tongued films such as "Drop Dead Gorgeous" or the Christopher Guest "Waiting for Guffman/Best in Show" genre, "Chalk" has genuine affection and sympathy for the teachers and the difficult tasks they are faced with every day.  This isn't surprising, as the film was written by two former teachers, Chris Mass and Mike Akel.  In fact, Akel directs the film, Mass is one of the stars, and the student body is comprised of former students of the pair.

As the film opens we are introduced to the cast of characters.  Chris Mass plays Mr. Stroope, a 3rd-year teacher who is committed to winning the Teacher of the Year competition and who admittedly doesn't quite know the difference between building a teacher-student relationship and making friends.  Troy Schremmer plays Mr. Lowrey, a new teacher who has no authority and no idea how to control his class - I've seen substitutes given more respect.  Janelle Schremmer plays Coach Webb, a pushy but positive PE teacher who is looking for a relationship and whose best friend, Mrs. Reddell (Shannon Haragan) has been promoted from choir teacher to Assistant Principal. 

I read that most of this film was improvised, which I can believe as most of the dialog seems more authentic and less scripted.  There are some laughs throughout, most notably at how awkward and hopeless Mr. Lowrey is and how self-centered Mr. Stroope is (to the point that he privately asks one student not to guffaw when he makes obvious mistakes, as she clearly knows more about history than he does).  From my point of view, the affection the cast and crew hold for the characters is the major flaw...anyone who suffered through High School remembers at least one or two teachers who were long past the point of caring or trying.  I can only imagine that in today's world of cell phones and students driving cars that cost more than the teacher makes in a year, those cases have only been magnified.  Yet in this film there is none of that - the teachers all care, all try (even if it is ineptly), all strive to be good teachers and to connect with their students.  I can buy that from most of them, but there should have been the exception, if for no other reason than to build a contrast.

If you're tired of the sequels of sequels this summer, you could do worse than to spend an evening with "Chalk".  just don't expect too much.  I'll give it a B-, with a comment circled in red pen saying "I know you are capable of better work than this."