There weren't a lot of plot twists here, but still, not being familiar with whatever real events were behind the story (at least I think there were real events; not fascinated enough to go look it up ATM), I didn't know exactly what was going to happen. Like any disaster movie, we watch to see things go horribly wrong, because somehow we get something from doing so. Are we just glad it's not us? Are we vicariously enjoying the thrill of the danger, safe in our seats? Maybe we like watching people be worried and scared. Why would that be?
Whatever the reason, there are plenty of movies to scratch that itch. "The Cheating Pact" is one. What starts off as a relatively minor case of cheating on college entrance exams spirals out of control, and we get to watch all the kids and their parents and friends reacting to a situation they (for the most part) don't even know is happening.
The film-making quality is pretty good. The production values are fine; this isn't a giant explosions and cars going over cliffs type of movie, so it really comes down to story, acting, directing, and editing, all of which are sufficient to make this an enjoyable watch.
I think the question a movie like this should inspire is "what would I do?" in the shoes of one or more of the characters. There are some good questions to ponder here. Would you cheat, if your parents were pressuring you to do better? Would you help someone else cheat, for money, if you needed the money? Would you trust your child if they said they didn't cheat? There are other, bigger questions which this movie begins to raise about the importance of college, social pressures, intergenerational expectations, and more. However, it focuses its energy on the individuals and relationships directly in front of us, and by doing so it stays tight and avoids coming across as pretentious or overly preachy.
7/10 for me.
