199 - Exam

    Eight candidates for a job are taken in for a test.  They are presented with a piece of paper, and a pencil.  The problem is that no one can identify the question they're supposed to answer.  Candidates are eliminated by breaking rules, and tensions rise.
    I'm a big fan of these small-group dramas, even more when they include horror elements.  This one doesn't exactly qualify as horror - it's much more drama-thriller, but it's pleasingly well-written.
    The characters are reasonably well-defined.  Characters have specific limits, and it's nice to see those limits explored.
    I was reminded of another movie, another one with a group of people locked in a room and gradually being eliminated.  I think that one is Killing Room, which I plan on watching next year.  The big difference is that this one has an ending that feels good.  Typically, the person who 'wins' these scenarios either is a jerk, and they get a reward that is worse than losing, or they're the most appropriate winner, and we still feel like the whole process was terribly unethical.
    In this case, the winner is fine.  And we get enough other information to make the entire process seem appropriate.
    The one weakness I can see is that I identified what the question, and answer, was.  I figured this out well before they did.  I expected that they would have figured it out earlier.  Of course, the movie doesn't address the issue of what happens if more than one person has figured it out.
    One technical problem, but it's not terrible.  I noticed a few edits that were awkward.  But for the most part, the movie was solidly well made, and well written.  Good stuff.