Chalk on AllMovie

With a cast comprised of a few professional and many more non professional actors and a realistic, earth setting, this independent drama of a young pool shark's decision whether or not to turn pro rings convincing and true. Most of the tale is set at the Crab Tree, a funky East Bay, San Francisco poolhall run by the aging curmudgeon, Pop. Pop and his real son have a tense relationship and frequently bicker. It is very different with his informally adopted on, T.C., a talented pool huckster who wandered into his bar two decades before as an orphaned 12-year-old. Though T.C. has the stuff to make it as a professional billiards player, he lacks ambition and no amount of cajoling from either Pop or his girl friend Lois seems to make him want to stop scamming nickel and dime winnings out of suckers, for though he really is good, T.C. remains unsure of himself. Then Pop gets diagnosed with throat cancer. To pay for the life-saving operation, loyal T.C. decides to overcome his fears and try to make it as a pro.