Exam (2009)
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Eight candidates for a high-stakes corporate job are locked in a room to face a single, mysterious test.
The story
Eight candidates for a highly desirable corporate job at the company Biorg are locked together in an exam room for a final test. They are given 80 minutes to answer one seemingly simple question while following three strict rules: they must not spoil their papers, leave the room, or speak to the Invigilator or the armed guard. However, the papers are initially blank, leading to immediate confusion. As the candidates attempt to uncover the hidden text using various methods, tensions unravel among the group, forcing them to collaborate and compete in a high-pressure environment.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Eight candidates for a job at Biorg are locked in a room with 80 minutes to answer one question. After Candidate 2 is disqualified for writing on her blank paper, the remaining seven collaborate, assigning nicknames based on appearance. They use lights, bodily fluids, and fire sprinklers to reveal hidden text, while speculating on Biorg's role in creating a miracle drug for a viral pandemic. One candidate, White, takes control, engineering the disqualifications of Brunette and Deaf. White claims to have figured out the question, leading Black to knock him unconscious. It is revealed that Black is a disease carrier and White has the medication. During the chaos, Dark is disqualified for pleading with the Invigilator. Blonde eventually retrieves White's medication to revive him. White coerces Brown out of the room by forcing the guard's hand onto a gun. As the timer nears zero, Blonde discovers the question was actually 'Any questions?' asked by the Invigilator at the start. She answers 'No.' It is revealed that Deaf is the CEO, who found a cure and a method for cell regeneration. Blonde is hired because she displayed the necessary traits of attention to detail and compassion.
- First release year
- 2009
- Runtime (minutes)
- 97
- Production countries
- United Kingdom
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Stuart Hazeldine
- Writers
- Stuart Hazeldine · writer; Stuart Hazeldine · story; Simon Garrity · story
- Cast and characters
- Adar Beck · Candidate 3, Dark; Gemma Chan · Candidate 2; Nathalie Cox · Candidate 7, Blonde; John Lloyd Fillingham · Candidate 1, Deaf; Chukwudi Iwuji · Candidate 8, Black; Pollyanna McIntosh · Candidate 4, Brunette; Luke Mably · Candidate 5, White; Jimi Mistry · Candidate 6, Brown; Colin Salmon · The Invigilator; Chris Carey · The Guard
- Genres
- psychological thriller; mystery
- Themes
- human nature; corporate greed; survival; trust
- Tone and mood
- taut; psychological; grounded
- Setting
- A corporate exam room during a viral pandemic.
- Premise and plot tags
- psychological thriller; mystery; corporate; pandemic
- Source material / true-story basis
- Original story involved an exam at a school, but was changed to a job interview.
- Reception
- The film received mixed reviews, with some critics praising its taut execution and clever premise while others found the ending disappointing or felt it failed to live up to its intriguing setup.
- Awards and nominations
- Independent Feature Award · Santa Barbara Film Fest · Won; Bronze Hitchcock · Dinard British Film Festival · Won; Best UK Feature · Raindance · Nominated; Outstanding Debut · BAFTA · Nominated
- Production trivia
- The original story was set in a school, but was changed to a job interview.; The ending was created by the director as the original story did not have one.; The film's pandemic was influenced by fears of bird flu and distrust of pharmaceutical companies.; The script originally had more science fiction elements before being stripped out.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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