Exam (Stuart Hazeldine, 2009): UK

Reviewed by Charlotte Brange. Viewed at Metro 4 at the Santa Barbara Film Festival.

In a room that looks so small

Sits 8 contestants with the same determination inside them all

“I really want this job!”

The invigilator slowly turns the knob

He says that the contesters have to take the exam and solve the mystery

And simply use their history

Only one of them will remain

Because only one of them in the end will be sane

You have 80 minutes for you,

Answer the question is all you have to do,

But if there is no question on the paper, what will you turn to?

The lightening and close-ups gives the room a claustrophobic feeling

Sterile light is bounced of the ceiling

Different light sources are used

Glows in the contesters eyes as they are confused

As the story goes on the room grows bigger

And someone might pull the trigger

Because the happenings are intense and thrilling

But is this job they want worth to start killing?

Their true personalities a discovered and shows

The contestants get up and start to break up from their rows

One is the leader, the one that begins the action

And the others follow with their reaction

1 is quickly breaking the rules and forced to leave the room

Next one follows and is probably disappointed I assume

Because this is the job of their lifetime

I hope I can show the movie’s intensity into this rhyme

The emotions is shown through several close-ups of them

The characters are not late to each other condemn

Lightening in the movie changes a lot but the story is the same

When will they start with each other and blame?

The third one leaves with a bang

And the fourth one is soon joining the outsider gang

This is now deadly serious and the minutes is going down

Everyone wants to be the one in the end that will have the crown

The contesters are dropping like flies

And they’re suspicious and looks closely into each other’s eyes

The movie takes time and the story comes alive

Now they’re only five

Close-up of blood, sweat and tears

Yes it’s all in this movie alongside people’s greatest fears

Beautiful editing makes the movie never boring

In the well-developed characters’ hearts you’ll never stop exploring

Because this is more than just a movie or a lazy time-spender

It’s a psychological experiment that they will slowly surrender

Director told us that life is just like the white paper the characters are given

Use your on perception to be motivated and driven

It started out as a short film but he changed it

Luckily for us at SBFF who can now see this movie’s every bit

As the end of SBFF, a price was given to Exam

It took home the price for independent cinema with a slam

So go out and watch the brilliant Exam now

Afterwards you will just sit there and think; “wow!”

The ending is well done and has a big twist

And this movie will in my mind continue to exist