Following a similar vein to Kitty Green’s The Assistant, Fair Play tackles misogyny in a highly competitive, male-dominated hedge fund firm.
The debut feature from Chloe Domont revolves around happily engaged couple Emily and Luke who both work at the same firm, though they keep their relationship a secret from their boss and colleagues. When Emily is promoted over Luke, however, their whole world begins to crumble as jealousy strikes and cracks into their once stable foundation.
Though billed as an erotic thriller, Fair Play is more akin to an upsetting fast-paced drama which, at the height of its powers, is uncomfortable and upsetting. Domont starts her career strong with this exceptionally well-put together film which attempts to untangle the messy world of hedge funds and the centric couple mangled into the core of it.
What works best for Fair Play is its premise – how supposedly good men are a breath away from misogyny when a woman succeeds ahead of them. Luke is presented as an ideal boyfriend who treats Emily extremely well. Yet when Emily earns the promotion that was rumoured to be his, though he seemingly accepts the decision, he slowly unravels, marred by envy. Emily tries to temper him and satisfy his needs by trying to advance him, using her new authority. Yet Luke is continually stuck, and with vicious rumours flying around that Emily may have slept with her boss to gain advancement, Luke dissolves.
Alden Ehrenreich is engrossing. He starts off as this loveable goofball but completely unhinges the character. It doesn’t start obvious either. Ehrenreich sits the ugly emotions underneath his kindly exterior, yet it is present in every shaky delivery of “I am happy for you.” Over the course of the film, he starts unpicking Emily and trying to undermine her whenever he is possible. When fully allowed to let go, Ehrenreich’s Luke is terrifying and unforgettably so.
Phoebe Dvyneor is equally excellent. Emily’s intelligence and drive is apparent yet it does not make her entirely ruthless and cold. There is a warmth to Emily that is undeniable and Dvyneor is able to capture that as well. As she struggles to balance the demands of her promotion and her fiancé, Lucy slips but is quick to regain her position. Yet the Bridgerton stars performance means we never falter in empathy for her character. Her final lines to Luke are some of my favourites of the year.
The most fascinating element of Fair Play is that the seemingly curmudgeon and straight-talking boss Campbell (played brilliantly here by Eddie Marsan) is the only man around Emily to treat her well. Bear in mind that he doesn’t treat his employees nicely, but he doesn’t treat Emily much different because she is a woman whereas contemporaries are constantly degrading her or seeing her as less than.
Fair Play has upsetting scenes, especially towards the end where the relationship explodes, but Domont directs a tight and engaging thriller.
