Fair Play Movie Review: Phoebe Dynevor and Alden Ehrenreich's Psychological Drama Shines With Its Acting and Writing! (LatestLY Exclusive)

Fair Play Movie Review: Chloe Domont's Fair Play is a film that doesn't immediately put you in your comfort zone from its opening scene. Even when it gets itself into the territory of an erotic drama. When the first time we witness the lead couple engaging in a sexual encounter, it is interrupted when the man's lips is smeared with menstrual blood. If you find such a scene discomforting, let me warn you that this is perhaps the least unsettling sequence in the film. Fair Play effectively leaves you feeling uneasy with its candid portrayal of domestic and workplace toxicity, amplified by outstanding performances from Phoebe Dynevor and Alden Ehrenreich. Fair Play Trailer: Phoebe Dynevor and Alden Ehrenreich Display a Love Hate Relationship Over an Important Promotion in This Thriller.

Luke (Alden Ehrenreich) and Emily (Phoebe Dynevor) share a deep love for each other. They live together, and at a party, or more precisely, in a bathroom, Luke proposes to Emily, and she accepts. So, all is well, right?

Well, there's a catch. Luke and Emily both work at the same hedge fund firm, and there's a corporate policy against dating fellow employees. Consequently, they keep their relationship a secret at work, maintaining a formal demeanor around each other. Trouble arises when a promotion to a senior position threatens to strain their relationship.

Watch the Trailer of Fair Play:

Imagine blending a film like Abhimaan with something akin to Marriage Story, cranking up the psychological toxicity, and adding a dose of sensuality. You'd get something akin to Fair Play. The film presents characters who desire intimacy. At one point, a major argument ends with a sexual encounter, but Fair Play doesn't aim to titillate. Sex is a pivotal element in this relationship drama, exploring its role in the evolving emotional and power dynamics between the protagonists. Spoiler alert: initially, Luke and Emily are in sync when it comes to intimacy, even period blood doesn't deter their closeness. However, when Emily secures the promotion and Luke, who initially voiced support verbally, fails to follow through with his actions and emotions, it takes a toll on their sexual connection. His fragile ego becomes intertwined with his masculinity, causing him to reject Emily's advances. This connection between his ego and his sexuality leads to more sinister consequences when Luke no longer has to work under Emily, leveling the playing field in his eyes and turning their sexual encounters into an instance of abuse. Oppenheimer Movie Review: Cillian Murphy is Outstanding in Christopher Nolan’s Riveting Look Into the 'Father of the Atom Bomb'.

Sex is just one facet of their deteriorating relationship when jealousy, anger, and resentment seep in. The events in the film felt so real that there were times when I felt compelled to introspect. I've also seen some online reactions to the film, where blame is placed on both sides. However, the fault lines are clearly established and predominantly on one side.

Fair Play doesn't limit itself to being just a workplace drama; it also exposes the gender-skewed corporate environment, autocratic behavior of the bosses - with a particularly sharp performance by Eddie Marsan - and the frat-boy culture among male employees. Phoebe Dynevor and Alden Ehrenreich deliver brilliant performances, making me feel her confusion and his insecurity. They truly shine when emotions become more profound and intense in the third act.

Final Thoughts

Fair Play is definitely a surprise package, that garbs the appearance of a sexual thriller but is more of a psychological drama about masculine toxicity, workplace behaviour and mental abuse. The film boasts of some sharp writing, great performances from Dynevor, Ehrenreich and Marsan, and a third act that keeps dialling up the intensity to the very last scene before ending with its own variation of mic drop. Fair Play is streaming on Netflix.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 09, 2023 06:43 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).