Exam poster & wallpaper
Get movie widget Recommend it Add to Favorites

Luke Mably, Nathalie Cox, Colin Salmon, Jimi Mistry, Gemma Chan ... see more see more... , Pollyanna McIntosh , Chuk Iwuji , Adar Beck , John Floyd Fillingham , Chris Carey , Chukwudi Iwuji , John Lloyd Fillingham

A roomful of strangers discovers their dreams of a new career may be more difficult and dangerous than they imagined in this psychological thriller. Eight bright and ambitious people are in the runnin... read more read more...g for a position as a top executive with a major bio-engineering firm, and they've been invited to corporate headquarters to take a test that will determine who gets the job. The assembled applicants are met by a man calling himself the Invigilator (Colin Salmon) who explains the testing process -- they'll each be given a sheet of paper with a single question, and they have eighty minutes to answer it. If they leave the room, attempt to ask him questions, talk to the security guards or mark the question sheet, they will be immediately disqualified. The eight applicants learn this isn't an ordinary test when they discover their question sheets are all blank, and the applicants are forced to turn to one to unravel the puzzle behind the cryptic question. Rather than identify themselves by name, the eight strangers assign themselves nicknames that point to their backgrounds or features: Black (Chuk Iwuji), Blonde (Nathalie Cox), Brown (Jimi Mistry), Brunette (Pollyanna McIntosh), Dark (Adar Beck), Deaf (John Lloyd Fillingham), Chinese (Gemma Chan) and White (Luke Mably). Over the course of eighty minutes, the applicants unwittingly reveal their backgrounds, the qualifications that earned them their place in the competition, and their notions about the real nature of the test. Exam received its United States premiere at the 2010 Santa Barbara Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Flixster Users

85% want to see it

3,772 ratings

Critics

63% liked it

30 critics

Unrated, 1 hr. 25 min.

Directed by: Stuart Hazeldine

Invite friends to see

DVD Release Date: November 16, 2010

report incorrect info

Photos

None yet... Got one?

Your Rating


clear rating

Flixster Reviews (778)

  • theunknownhobo
    August 24, 2011
    theunknownhobo
    This story has been told a million times and with a frustrating back plot that is only hinted at I was left feeling exasperated by the time the not completley unintelligent conclusion finally came. I would say that this movie is definitely going to cut people straight down the mi... read moreddle and was nowhere near the worse movie I have ever seen, but I don't think I will be watching it again. Disappointing.
  • FiLmCrAzY
    August 18, 2011
    FiLmCrAzY
    This is quite a good psychological thriller, its suspenseful and although it is simply based entirely in a room it is still entertaining and you are gripped to your sit with wonder about what is going to happen!
    I like the building up to the different characters and seeing them ... read moredevelop!
    An interesting enough movie thats worth a watch!
  • helpahorse
    May 29, 2011
    helpahorse
    Pretty good movie, but not the best. The script wasn't nearly as impressive as it should have been, especially since there wasn't much else going on. The acting was pretty good, and that kept my interest. The plot was interesting, but I was kind of let down by the ending. It was... read more all pretty much straight forward; there weren't any unexpected twists or turns. It was an okay movie.

    I probably wouldn't watch this again just because it's not really as exciting/thrilling as it seemed at first. I don't regret watching it though.
  • ceWEBrity
    March 22, 2011
    ceWEBrity
    Not too shabby; a tight little mystery. The lack of game-changing plot twists or explosive ending will probably rub most viewers the wrong way, but if you go in expecting a cinematic riddle with a tinge of sci-fi and a few clever curveballs, your hour and a half will not be spent... read more in vain. The character work is cartoonish and unmemorable, and none of the acting rises past serviceable, with at least one performance that's baffling. It's a definite thorn in Exam's side, considering a large part of the film's tension is generated through the old "desperate people do ridiculous things" chestnut, but it's difficult to really get into such a thin cast of personalities. They become less human and more like playing pieces steering the script from beat to beat, which for the ultimate purposes of the film is fine, but I can't help but imagine how much better it would be if the human element was sharper.
  • drblood
    March 9, 2011
    drblood
    Starring nobody you've ever heard of outside of the UK (including a lot of TV actors from things like "Eastenders", "Holby City" and "Doctor Who"), "Exam" was an obviously low-budget, almost "Twilight Zone" sci-fi drama with a "Ten Little Indians" feel to it. I was immediately re... read moreminded of "Lifeboat", "Lifepod" and the "Cube" films and, due to the presence of Colin Salmon, "Resident Evil" too. As soon as I saw him, I remembered a "Doctor Who" episode that I'd seen him in recently and I knew that I was in for something good. It's funny how one actor can make that much of a difference even if, in this case, he wasn't actually on screen for very long.
    I was also quite impressed with how the various characters were shown getting dressed during the opening credits sequence. It was intimate, emotive and it very effectively added more exposition than any dialogue could ever do. I remembered just how it felt to get ready for examinations I have taken myself, the nerves involved, the anxiety, and how I wouldn't even be able to sleep properly the night before. I think this all added a lot to how I was willingly able to suspend my disbelief about the extremes these characters would go to later on.
    One thing I don't like about watching movies on my laptop is that when they are filmed with so many extreme "warts and all" close-ups, I start to judge people by their skin pores, teeth, and any blemishes I see before they even begin to act. There were four absolutely beautiful girls in this but because of the camerawork, I found myself completely unattracted to any of them. The same thing happened to me during the kissing scene in "Jennifer's Body" as pimply faced Megan Fox made me feel a little bit queasy. I'd be interested to know if anyone else notices things like this.
    Anyway, to cut a not so long story short, the whole thing is about a group of very different people all stuck together in one room trying to work out how to pass an exam to get a top job. If you imagine the worst people possible from "Big Brother" doing one of their weekly tasks then you get the idea. There are clever ones, nasty ones, natural leaders and followers, but all of them want to win at any cost. Keep that in mind when you pick your favourites at the beginning and be prepared for a few surprises should you choose to watch "Exam" yourself.
    Another film that this reminded me of was "The Breakfast Club". It's probably the setting more than anything else but I'd even go so far as saying that the way the backgrounds of each character came out were quite similar. Admittedly there was no hint of romance and not a lot of comedy in "Exam" but I did feel that it could have gone that way a few times if the script and direction hadn't been as controlled as it was. I wanted something to happen between Luke Mably and Nathalie Cox and there certainly seemed to be some subtext there but it didn't turn out to be what I thought it was at all.
    Luke Mably may be known to American TV viewers for his role in "The Gates". I still haven't watched a single episode of it so I couldn't tell you who he is in it or whether the show is any good or not. In "Exam" he was absolutely excellent though and you'll love and hate him at the same time. He pretty much eclipses all the others apart from former "Eastender" Jimi Mistry but this is one of those stories where the characters you don't really notice turn out to be the most important.
    You'll never guess the ending which is de rigeur for this genre unless you are one of those annoying people who can work out who the villain is in "Scooby Doo" cartoons or something. I'm sure there are a lot of reviewers who would lie and say that they worked out how it was going to end right from the start but I'll happily admit that I didn't have a clue myself. I was too wrapped up in watching everyone solve the puzzle to even think about what it would lead to and that is both the film's major strength and its weakness.
    The slightly futuristic setting and the revelations about what is going on in the world outside which has lead the eight people to be taking this particular exam was a very inspired idea. The downside to this was that, ultimately, I didn't really care and found it to be a little bit far-fetched. The final scenes were somewhat of a cop-out but at least they weren't all dead and living on an island or anything ridiculous like but I had a horrible feeling that they would be when Jimi Mistry almost turned into Sayid at one point.
    If you noticed how I've highlighted a lot of similarities between "Exam" and other films and TV shows then you'll probably realise that "Exam" isn't all that original. It really does borrow its best points from things we've all seen before. Having said that, all these elements have been so skilfully put together that most people wouldn't even notice. I suppose that's the curse of watching as many things as I do inside and outside of the horror genre. After a while, there really is nothing that original any more just how it is presented with a slightly different spin on it.
    Before I end this review, I have to mention that Adar Beck who plays "Dark" (they are all named after their hair colour or racial type) has some absolutely stunning photos of herself on her IMDb profile. I don't know anything about her since "Exam" was her first real film appearance other than a short which I've never seen but I hope that she's in more good things in the future. Yes, I do now have a little crush on her but it won't effect my rating of "Exam" in any way.
    I'm happy to give "Exam" a pass mark of 7 out of 10. It had some great performances, looked good, and it held my interest all the way through. For someone like me who has the attention span of a gnat with ADHD, this was a great achievement. It only loses marks because the emotional payoff at the end didn't do anything for me as a hardened horror fan without much compassion for the human race in the first place and I'd obviously rate it even higher if Luke Mably's character, White, had been even more like me. I recommend that you all take a small break from watching horror movies and give "Exam" a try. It's probably not something you'd want to buy or watch more than once but it's certainly worth renting or adding to your Netflix queue.
  • itsjustme2004
    January 27, 2011
    itsjustme2004
    Very interesting, and insightful. It's great when you can enjoy a movie even if it doesnt have fast action, or explosions, to keep you entertained. Nicely done with only one room, some tables and chairs. Characters that make you think...what a concept! My only complaint is that i... read moret ran a little long, in my opinion. But, all in all, an intriguing piece of work.
  • superclerk25
    January 24, 2011
    superclerk25
    I really enjoyed the mystery of it all. I liked how the build up of the situation and the world outside the confined room the characters found themselves in played out. The actors were spot on for their roles as well with a couple of stand outs.
  • blacksheepboy
    November 2, 2010
    blacksheepboy
    Althought it starts off quite well, Exam is too unoriginal, drawing inevitable comparisons to The Apprentice and films like Cube and El Método. However, the real problem is how pointless the story really is, coming to a frustrating ending.
  • gor41
    August 28, 2010
    gor41
    Interesting premise let down by a daft ending.
  • LorenzoVonMatterhorn
    July 16, 2010
    LorenzoVonMatterhorn
    "How far would you go to win the ultimate job?"

    Eight talented candidates have reached the final stage of selection to join the ranks of a mysterious and powerful corporation...

    REVIEW

    Take "Sa... read morew" and remove approximately 95% of the torture element, then take 8 candidates, sit them in a room and give them an exam presided over by a security officer who oversees all, as they seek to find the answer to the question that they've been asked by the invigilator of a surreptitiously successful organization. Of course, once they actually find the question first that's easy, or... is it?

    To some people this movie will be an absolute bore. To others it will be an enjoyable psychological mystery - albeit more 'who wins the job?' than 'whodunnit?' Direction, screenplay and acting are all admirable.

View All Exam Reviews

Critic Reviews

Neil Young
July 16, 2009
Neil Young, Hollywood Reporter

Claustrophobic psychological-drama is a flawed but intriguing exercise in script writing ingenuity and economy.

Wesley Lovell
June 9, 2011
Wesley Lovell, Oscar Guy

A tight psychological thriller with a slight sci-fi edge. A great find. Full Review

Michael W. Phillips, Jr.
December 19, 2010
Michael W. Phillips, Jr., Goatdog's Movies

Low-budget but handsomely mounted cross between Cube and 12 Angry Men, with some script input by mystery writer Agatha Christie and literary critic Terry Eagleton. Full Review

David Nusair
November 19, 2010
David Nusair, Reel Film Reviews

An intriguing yet uneven thriller... Full Review

Staci Layne Wilson
November 5, 2010
Staci Layne Wilson, Horror.com

Everything is just slightly mysterious and off-kilter. Full Review

Scott Weinberg
September 17, 2010
Scott Weinberg, FEARnet

Benefits from a bit of dark humor, some critically important editing tricks, and a mystery that's actually sort of ... interesting. Full Review

Mark R. Leeper
May 31, 2010
Mark R. Leeper, rec.arts.movies.reviews

The ninth person working on this puzzle will be the viewer.

Sam Bathe
April 15, 2010
Sam Bathe, Fan The Fire

Exam can't follow through on its ideas and premise. Full Review

Edward Porter
January 15, 2010
Edward Porter, Sunday Times (UK)

Despite their supposed cleverness, all the candidates here make mistakes that would be avoided by anybody with even the slightest knowledge of how these situations usually pan out in movies, and the w... Full Review

Philip French
January 15, 2010
Philip French, Observer [UK]

The tale is ingeniously developed, the suspense well maintained, and you'll think more highly of it if you have to leave five minutes before the disappointing pay-off. Full Review

View more Exam reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Cast

More Like This

Click a thumb to vote on that suggestion, or add your own suggestions.

  • The Killing Room
    The Killing Room (100%)
  • The Steam Experiment (The Chaos Experiment)
    The Steam Experiment (The Chaos Experiment) (100%)
  • Devil
    Devil (75%)
  • Saw
    Saw (60%)

More Movies like Exam

Facts

Submit a Fact | View All
    • Black: All each of us can do today is loose what we've already won through selfishness, stupidity, and impatience!
    • Invigilator: The test is simple in comparison, yet it will determine who leaves this room with a contract of employment, and who leaves with bus fare home.
Submit a Fact | View All

Exam : Watch Free on TV

Exam Trivia

  • A supposedly ditzy cosmetics queen sits an exam which changes her life in what movie?  Answer »
  • In Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix, where did Fred and George set off their fireworks?  Answer »
  • In "Slackers", why did Sam miss his exam?  Answer »
  • In the movie " Back to School " (1986)The room in which Thornton Melon takes his three-hour oral exam is the same room in which Alex Owens makes her successful dance audition in what 1983 dance movie?  Answer »
More Exam Trivia

Movie Quizzes

No quizzes for Exam. Want to create one?

Video Clips

Upload a Video |

All Exam Videos

Meet Other Fans

Add Exam to favorites

Recent News

Submit a Story |

View Exam News

Recent Lists

Make a List |

View All Lists

Most Popular Skin

No skins yet. Interested in creating one?