I don’t know if Fair Play has a shot at being an awards season contender, but more than any other film it could be the one that men and women discuss at parties and around the water cooler. Just call it a hunch, but I think this film, which I’ve likened to an updated Michael Douglas thriller from the ’80s, could cause quite a stir.
Starring Phoebe Dynevor in a breakout role, plus Alden Ehrenreich, the film centers on a newly-engaged New York couple who keep their relationship secret at their high-powered financial firm. When one starts climbing the corporate ladder and the other doesn’t, it leads to a power struggle that threatens to destroy their personal and professional lives.
Complicated gender dynamics in a cutthroat, male-dominated workplace? Check! Also, the second worst humiliation of a dude I’ve seen this year, behind Infinity Pool, of course.
The film is written and directed by Chloe Domont in her impressive debut. Also in the cast are Eddie Marsan, Rich Sommer, and Sebastian De Souza.
As you probably guessed by now, I loved it. You can check out my early Sundance review here.
Here’s the synopsis: When a coveted promotion at a cutthroat financial firm arises, once supportive exchanges between lovers Emily (Phoebe Dynevor) and Luke (Alden Ehrenreich) begin to sour into something more sinister. As the power dynamics irrevocably shift in their relationship, the couple must face the true price of success and the unnerving limits of ambition. In her feature debut, writer-director Chloe Domont weaves a taut relationship thriller, staring down the destructive gender dynamics that pit partners against each other in a world that is transforming faster than the rules can keep up.
Fair Play hits theaters on September 29th, followed by Netflix on October 6th.
