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Reviewed by Elliot V. Kotek
(from the 2010 Newport Beach Film Festival)

Directed by: Todd Giglio
Written by: Todd Giglio and Christopher Springer
Starring: Todd Giglio, Christopher Springer, Brennan Giglio, Pooja Kumar, Debargo Sanyal

Sometimes when an independent film opens, you can feel tension associated not with the storyline but from the pressures of making a first feature, or from producing a feature with those close to you in places you know too well.

“Drawing with Chalk” carries that awkward unease through the first half hour as it establishes the familiar lives of Jason and Matt (Todd Giglio and Christopher Springer), two musicians-at-heart working at a struggling steel operation in upstate nowhere after failing their big-city chances at fame. Jason (Giglio), married with a child, attempts to provide for his family amidst pressures applied by his upper-class, East Indian in-laws that he move closer to them and take on a more professional job. Alas, Jason isn’t yet prepared to give up on the duo’s dreams of becoming recording artists, a position tested by the further demise of his personal circumstances.

From humble beginnings as a film that seems cute and unconvincing, “Chalk” finds its footing and the characters find their hearts midway through the second act, pulling off a come-from-behind victory that deserves to land the flick in rotation on Hallmark or a like cable station as an admirable indie movie-of-the-week.

While Pooja Kumar’s performance as Giglio’s wife Jasmin is a rollercoaster of sub-reality, the part of her brother Isaac, who attempts to lure Jason into a regular gig in the city at the behest of his parents, is portrayed superbly by Debargo Sanyal, for whom the night’s biggest laughs are reserved.

The film is also a showcase for the music of Six Mile Hill, a band in which Giglio is heavily involved. The music’s good, not great, and serves the sympathetic storyline successfully. All in all, “Chalk” is a good festival find with some popular appeal but limited commercial potential.

Photo courtesy Newport Beach Film Festival