Review of Exam (2009) by Jacob G — 13 Oct 2012

I can't stand it when people like a movie or band before it's popular, but immediately start bitching when all of their friends like it, too. If you truly love something, why would you let the people you love be deprived of it?

I've made it my goal in life to get as many people as humanly possible to see this underrated, underviewed little gem of a movie. If you haven't seen it, please do. It streams instantly on Netflix, so there's no real reason NOT to see it.

The plot is a simple setup that allows itself to spiral off into an insane character study and thriller. Eight people, four men and four women of various cultural and ethnic backgrounds, meet in a room to take an exam which will decide if they get a fantastic job. They have eighty minutes to complete the exam, and must follow three simple rules: No talking to the Invigilator or the guard; no spoiling their paper; and no leaving the room for any reason. The exam begins, but there's only one problem: There's no question,.

It's true that this doesn't sound like much of a plot to go off of (and indeed, the movie takes about forty minutes for the ball to really get moving), but the movie is extremely entertaining, mainly thanks to great characters and great acting.

Without going into too much detail, the film is an effective character study, populated with an interesting cast and great themes.