Emily (Phoebe Dynevor) and Luke (Alden Ehrenreich) are madly in love and newly engaged. They also work together at the same cutthroat financial hedge fund and are hiding their relationship from their coworkers. When one of them gets promoted and becomes the others’ boss, the power dynamics shift into something sinister.
Chloe Domont, a new up and coming director, is certainly one to watch. Not only did she pen a brilliant script, she seems to have such a grasp on how this industry works. The battle of the sexes has been going on for many years and this is no exception. The way that a woman is treated in such a company is the complete opposite than that of a man. The realistic depiction that unfolded on screen was so on the nose that it kind of took my breath away.
While the film wouldn’t be complete without the magnetic chemistry between the two leads, it is Dynevor who steals the show. Not only does she carry the plot along perfectly, but she does so by conveying emotion with every look and action. As the storyline progresses, she adjusts and completely sells it. I’d only seen her in Bridgerton before, but now I feel she should be casted in everything. Ehrenreich, on the other hand, was a fine match for her, but it did seem like he took a backseat at times.
Though many have said the genre is that of an erotic thriller, I don’t necessarily agree. Yes, the physicality of it all is present, but only really at the beginning. As the pace picks up, there’s a change that is needed. I also didn’t find it too thrilling and instead more of a slow burn. Nothing wrong with that whatsoever, of course, as it helped increase the impending sense of doom that hung throughout, but it could be misleading.
Overall, Fair Play has a lot going for it. I might have expected more because it’s been receiving so much praise, but I wouldn’t be surprised if that was because all the financial stuff lost me. The drama and acting were more than enough to keep me entertained. I recommend everyone should check it out for that final act alone.
Rating: ♥️♥️♥️.5
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