Intuitively enough, the viewer gets to witness in real time what happens in a peculiar eighty minutes examination taken by eight job applicants for a position in an esteemed corporation. The type of storytelling employed has become quite the trend for low budget production films over the years. As such, Exam falls into the typical trap of giving only so much depth as required to keep the viewer's interest throughout, but not nearly enough to exploit the nice ideas to their true potential or in a deservingly meaningful manner. This means that the necessary surprises and revelations that come with this narrative can't help but feel like cheap gimmicks, solid excuses for a movie to be made and surprises nevertheless, but not reasons enough to make a story worth being told. Strikingly, movies which follow this narrative pattern tend to suffer from ill-conceived (or unnatural if you prefer) flow of events in the story, and unfortunately, Exam is no exception. It is very disappointing to watch the very good actors being asked more often than not, to perform so obviously inappropriately in context. The characters' reactions, questions and responses are so unnatural and "forced" at times for the sake of the story, that the whole setting loses its credibility and whatever attachment with the spectator has been managed to be developed in 20 minutes, is severed in mere moments. Time and again... You have every other reason to enjoy this film. Enjoy it!
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