Kudos to any filmmaker who can produce a feature-length film that takes place in real-time, entirely in one room, and have it actually be entertaining and riveting enough to keep the audience watching. Hitchcock did it with Rope in 1948. Prior to that, I can’t recall a film that took the risk (maybe you cinephiles out there can assist, if I’m incorrect); however, since Rope, we’ve seen quite a few films that have made the attempt (taking place in real-time, mostly in one location) – some more successful than others.

Below is one film that hopes to land on the side of success when it’s released in theatres next year – a British film called Exam, described as a dark psycho-thriller, written and directed by Stuart Hazeldine (not a name I’m at all familiar with), and co-starring a couple of Black British actors in Colin Salmon and Chukwudi Iwuji.

Salmon should be familiar to those of you here in the States – he’s played bit parts in several Hollywood-made movies, like Resident Evil, AVP, The Punisher, and he was a regular in all 3 James Bond movies that starred Pierce Brosnan in the title role (Tomorrow Never Dies, The World Is Not Enough, and Die Another Day). He was also featured in the underrated The Bank Job in 2008.

Iwuji on the other hand, is relatively unknown – at least, based on his very thin IMDB resume.

So, what’s Exam about? Per Empire magazine, the film brings together eight disparate people – candidates for an unspecified high-powered job – who find themselves undertaking an exam with a difference. A big difference. A mind-bending, noggin-noodling, and potentially fatal difference. Played out in real time, it’s a crisp, electrifying and often ingenious thriller featuring top-notch turns from Luke Mably, Jimi Mistry, and the godlike Colin Salmon, as a godlike invigilator, and marks out Hazeldine as a real talent to watch.

80 Minutes, 8 Candidates, 1 Answer, No Question. Intrigued so far? If not, maybe the below trailer will be more enticing… or maybe not (the film will be released in UK theatres in January; thus far, no other markets are on its distribution schedule):