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the original story didn't have one. Hazeldine wanted to separate the characters by race, culture, gender, and, especially, worldview. The film's pandemic was influenced by contemporary fears of bird flu and distrust of pharmaceutical companies. Originally, the script had more science fiction elements, but
Hazeldine stripped them out to keep the film grounded. About the twist ending, Hazeldine said he wanted the film to be about more than just the twist, and he tried to appeal to audiences who seek a story about human nature.
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a few minutes from the countdown clock. Blonde remembers that Deaf had been using glasses and a piece of broken glass with an exam paper earlier. Taking the abandoned glasses, she finds the phrase "Question 1." on the exam paper in minuscule writing. Blonde realizes that
Question 1 refers to the only question asked of the group by the Invigilator at the beginning of the test ("Any questions?"). Blonde answers "No."
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The lights come back on after Black is hit by a gunshot. Blonde hides in the hallway, still holding one foot inside the room. Before White can kill her, the exam timer runs to zero. White addresses the
Invigilator, sure of his success, but is disqualified. It is revealed that Deaf had earlier removed
373:
White also begins taunting the others, saying he has figured out the question but will not tell them. In response, Black knocks White unconscious and ties him to a chair. As White passes out, he pleads for his medication, implying he has the virus. Brown turns his attention to Dark, who demonstrates
357:
As the exam starts, it turns out that the papers are otherwise blank. Within minutes, Candidate 2 is disqualified for spoiling her paper by writing on it. The seven remaining candidates realize it is permissible to talk to each other and collaborate. One candidate, "White", assigns nicknames to each
452:
After seeing some of his friends' films fail due to studio interference, Stuart
Hazeldine decided that he wanted full control over his feature debut. The original story involved an exam at a school, but Stuart Hazeldine changed it to be a job interview. The ending is also Hazeldine's creation, as
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Blonde retrieves White's medication, which was stolen from him earlier by Brown, and uses it to revive him. The others release White and demand to know the question. White suggests that there is no question and the company will simply hire the last remaining candidate. Black steals the guard's gun,
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The
Invigilator enters and reveals that Deaf is the CEO of the company. He found the virus cure but also discovered a method of rapid cell regeneration capable of providing "the gift of life". The bullet that hit Black contained this cure, reviving him. With high demand for the drug and a limited
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In the hour that follows, the candidates use lights, bodily fluids, and fire sprinklers in attempts to reveal hidden text on their papers, to no avail. They speculate on the exam's purpose and the nature of the company. Dark claims that the CEO is highly secretive and has not been seen since the
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explains that they have 80 minutes to answer one question, but there are three rules: the candidates must not soil their paper, leave the room, or talk to him or the armed guard at the door. If they do, they will be disqualified. The
Invigilator asks them if they have any questions, then leaves.
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knowledge of the company's internal workings, and tortures her into revealing that she works for the company. It is revealed that Black is a carrier of the disease. White goes into convulsions, proving he has the virus as well. Dark pleads to the
Invigilator for help and is disqualified.
378:
but it requires the guard's fingerprint to fire, giving White time to retrieve it. By forcing the guard's hand into the trigger, White coerces Brown to leave the room, disqualifying him. As Blonde also exits, she turns off the voice-activated lights, allowing Black to attack White.
525:
called the film clever and "ingeniously developed" but criticised the ending as disappointing. Also writing in the
Guardian, Peter Bradshaw gave the film two out of five stars and said the film does not live up to its intriguing premise. Awarding the film four out of five stars,
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Eight candidates dress for an employment assessment exam at the company DATAPREV. The group enters a room and sits at individual desks. Each desk has a paper printed with the word "candidate" and a number from one to eight. The
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In the film, eight candidates for a highly desirable corporate job are locked together in an exam room and given a final test with one seemingly simple question. However, confusion soon ensues and tensions unravel.
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supply, the company needed an administrator capable of making tough decisions with attention to detail while showing compassion, all traits that Blonde displayed during the exam. Blonde accepts the job.
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366:. It is gradually revealed that the company is responsible for a miracle drug designed to treat a condition afflicting a large part of the population due to a viral
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candidate based on hair color and skin color: Black, Blonde, Brown, Brunette, Dark, and Deaf (for one candidate who does not speak or respond to the group).
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480:. The DVD and Blu-ray were released in the UK on 7 June 2010. There was no theatrical release in the US, but IFC Films released the film via
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called it "a smartly conceived, tautly executed psychological thriller." Philip French of
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acquired the rights for the US release, where it was released as part of the
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said that the film starts off well but loses its way. Lael
Loewenstein of
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684:"Exclusive: Stuart Hazeldine Talks Exam, Paradise Lost, and Tripods"
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956:"EXAM - New Stage Adaptation of Cult Psychological Brit Thriller"
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On 4 September 2012, a stage adaptation of the film opened in
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747:"Stuart Hazeldine: British Filmmaker, Hollywood Screenwriter"
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Won the
Independent Feature Award at Santa Barbara Film Fest.
1192:"The 17th Raindance Film Festival Reveals Award Nominations"
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Won the Bronze Hitchcock at the Dinard British Film Festival
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599:"Exam gets UK deal with Sony Pictures Home Entertainment"
808:"Raindance Film Festival Hopes to Take London by Storm"
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2009. It was released in UK cinemas on 8 January 2010.
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872:"UK DVD and Blu-Ray Specs for Stuart Hazeldine's Exam"
780:"Stuart Hazeldine's Exam: No Bathroom Breaks Allowed"
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1165:"'Dagenham,' 'Treacle' share Dinard's Top Prize"
484:on 23 July 2010 and on DVD on 16 November 2010.
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461:The film premiered in June 2009 as part of the
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928:"Official One-Sheet and Trailer – IFC's Exam"
542:. Becky Reed of Screen Geek compared it to
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569:Nominated for Best UK Feature at Raindance.
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395:John Lloyd Fillingham as Candidate 1, Deaf
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745:Chaplinsky, Joshua (16 November 2010).
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839:Loewenstein, Lael (16 February 2010).
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1339:British psychological thriller films
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900:"U.S. Trailer for IFC Films' 'Exam'"
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597:Macnab, Geoffrey (6 November 2009).
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1374:English-language independent films
1344:Films shot at Elstree Film Studios
1076:Bradshaw, Peter (7 January 2010).
778:Bartlett, Becky (5 January 2010).
14:
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1349:British alternative history films
1324:2009 psychological thriller films
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1048:French, Philip (9 January 2010).
806:Walters, Ben (2 September 2009).
628:Barton, Steve (4 December 2009).
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1163:Gain, Bruce (11 October 2010).
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630:"Official Quad One-Sheet: Exam"
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1132:Reed, Becky (5 January 2010).
926:Barton, Steve (14 July 2010).
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404:Adar Beck as Candidate 3, Dark
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1020:Robey, Tim (7 January 2010).
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1364:2000s English-language films
1359:2009 directorial debut films
1319:2000s mystery thriller films
898:Miska, Brad (14 July 2010).
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870:Moore, Debi (18 May 2010).
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410:as Candidate 4, Brunette
236:8 January 2010
554:, a 2005 Spanish film.
467:Raindance Film Festival
463:Edinburgh Film Festival
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364:initial public offering
343:
1314:2009 independent films
576:for Outstanding Debut.
551:El Método (The Method)
428:as Candidate 7, Blonde
302:psychological thriller
532:compared the film to
472:On 11 February 2010,
434:as Candidate 8, Black
422:as Candidate 6, Brown
416:as Candidate 5, White
401:as Candidate 2, Asian
244: (United Kingdom)
114:John Lloyd Fillingham
759:on 10 September 2014
1369:2000s British films
1200:. 11 September 2009
1264:Films directed by
1113:. 21 December 2009
440:as The Invigilator
408:Pollyanna McIntosh
330:Pollyanna McIntosh
300:is a 2009 British
193:Bedlam Productions
158:Mark Talbot-Butler
123:Pollyanna McIntosh
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954:Hepworth, Craig.
905:Bloody Disgusting
501:review aggregator
293:
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174:Matthew Cracknell
35:Theatrical poster
18:2009 British film
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1266:Stuart Hazeldine
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572:Nominated for a
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538:and the work of
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995:Fandango Media
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1197:Screen Daily
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426:Nathalie Cox
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334:Nathalie Cox
310:Colin Salmon
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253:Running time
138:Colin Salmon
110:Nathalie Cox
86:Gareth Unwin
15:
1138:Screen Geek
752:Twitch Film
420:Jimi Mistry
351:Invigilator
314:Jimi Mistry
208:Independent
150:Tim Wooster
133:Jimi Mistry
76:Produced by
41:Directed by
1309:2009 films
1303:Categories
1110:Total Film
785:The Skinny
581:References
529:Total Film
489:Manchester
448:Production
414:Luke Mably
399:Gemma Chan
322:Gemma Chan
318:Luke Mably
286:Box office
257:97 minutes
240:2010-01-08
183:Production
128:Luke Mably
118:Chuk Iwuji
105:Gemma Chan
51:Written by
1286:The Shack
1204:25 August
1176:25 August
1117:25 August
1089:25 August
1061:25 August
1033:25 August
1000:7 October
939:25 August
911:25 August
883:25 August
852:25 August
819:25 August
791:25 August
763:25 August
668:25 August
641:25 August
610:25 August
495:Reception
474:IFC Films
289:$ 394,717
281:$ 600,000
185:companies
155:Edited by
101:Adar Beck
727:7 August
503:website
368:pandemic
270:Language
163:Music by
95:Starring
59:Story by
1170:Variety
965:7 April
846:Variety
696:25 June
516:Variety
499:On the
457:Release
273:English
262:Country
238: (
225:2009-06
223: (
1289:(2017)
1281:(2009)
1148:8 June
1134:"Exam"
1078:"Exam"
1050:"Exam"
712:"Exam"
657:"Exam"
558:Awards
278:Budget
229: (
574:BAFTA
1278:Exam
1229:IMDb
1224:Exam
1206:2013
1178:2013
1150:2014
1119:2013
1091:2013
1063:2013
1035:2013
1002:2021
983:Exam
967:2013
941:2013
913:2013
885:2013
854:2013
821:2013
793:2013
765:2013
729:2022
722:IMDb
698:2015
670:2013
643:2013
612:2013
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