EIFF 2009: Exam

Exam, screen-writer Stuart Hazeldine's first feature, is a low budget film disguised as a slick, big budget production. The premise is simple - eight candidates are locked in a room for the final stage of an interview. After being told three rules, they are given eighty minutes to answer one question. Trouble is, they turn their pages to find.... nothing. The premise may be reminiscent of the Spanish, soon to be remade, Fermat's Room, or a thinking man's Saw. There are flaws here though - with no threat of death, should they fail the task, one can be forgiven for not feeling the same tension as in the aforementioned films. Hazeldine's script has additions to ensure the possibility that lives are on the line, while as the clock counts down some candidates resort to more desperate means. Psychologically, Exam is clever, while the plot keeps viewers guessing until the very end. The actors, including Colin Salmon, Luke Malby and Jimi Mistry, have nowhere to hide, and all do a considerable job. Without revealing too much, the solution is so well concieved it's hard to not kick yourself for not solving the puzzle, and if this is an indication of his talents, one hopes to see a lot more from Hazeldine in the future.