Exam

"Exam" is a wonderful psychological study of eight people who are the top candidates for an important job with a high-level corporation.

The time period is some time in the future. Eight candidates are put in a windowless room, and an Invigilator (Colin Salmon). They have 80 minutes to answer a question. There are four rules: don't talk to him, don't talk to the guard, don't leave the room, and don't spoil the piece of paper in front of them.

The candidates find the sheet in from of each of them blank.

One tries to write on the paper and is ejected immediately. After a time, one person figures out that they can talk to one another, and they attempt by various means to see what's on the paper.

Lights, liquids, nothing works. Slowly as the clock goes down, the real personalities of the candidates begin to emerge, and we learn more about them.

One of the features aggravating the situation is that there is a plague, something like AIDS, that is killing people, and this company has come up with medications that can help and are working toward a cure. One of the women has a partner who cannot afford the medication, which is why she is applying for the job. One of the candidates has the disease.

The stress becomes worse and worse as people not only seek to find out the question, but "White" (Luke Mably) tries to manipulate people to break a rule so they can be eliminated.

This is an excellent film, though one has to take into account that it is happening in the future. At least in the present, no one would go through what these people did for a job, especially with a selection process like that. I would have left after the Invigilator talked. So we don't know what's going on in the world.

The film presents a real puzzle, and getting to the solution is a fascinating process for the viewer.

The acting is very good and intense, with Luke Mably having the showiest role. Colin Salmon, the Invigilator, has one of the best voices in the world and has an incredible presence.

Really enjoyed this.