Fair Play review: a cutting, messy thriller

“Fair Play is an imperfect, but consistently engaging thriller that is, above all, an effective showcase for its two stars.”

Pros

• Alden Ehrenreich and Phoebe Dynevor’s combative lead performance

• Chloé Dumont’s calm, controlled direction

• Franklin Peterson’s clever, unobtrusive editing

Shortcoming

• A third act that goes louder and wider than it should

• Disappointingly one-note finale

How does love die? Was it caused by one fatal blow or dozens of small, almost imperceptible cuts? In writer-director Chloé Dumont’s feature film debut, fair play, the latter is the method of choice. The film, a corporate drama about a pair of secret workplace lovers whose romance is jeopardized when one is promoted over the other, is the thrill of a thousand knives. As a battle of wills between its two stars, the film is an entertaining showcase for both SoloAlden Ehrenreich and bridgerton Breakout Phoebe Dynevor, but it’s even more effective as a depiction of all the little things, misinterpretations, and insecurities that can destroy even the strongest romance.

In the months following its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in January, fair play It has been repeatedly labeled as an “erotic thriller”, similar to the hit films of the 1990s. eyes wide Shut And fatal Attraction, However, comparing it to those films feels like a misrepresentation. While sex is a major part of the new drama, its importance is also fair playIts plot is minor compared to the role that gender-informed workplace politics plays in disrupting its central romance. The film has a lot more than just sex on its mind, and one of its most memorable moments involves Domont’s keen understanding of how the smallest pause and most fleeting look can inspire suspicion – both romantically and professionally.

Outside an accidental, strange blood stain, fair playThe opening minutes don’t give any indication of the countless dark turns its story will take. In contrast, the film’s premise portrays its two leads, Emily (Dynevor) and Luke (Ehrenreich), as a pair of young, inseparable lovers who have difficulty staying away from each other even in the most public of places. . There’s just one problem: they’re not supposed to be together. The high-profile hedge fund firm where they both work has a strict no-fraternization policy – ​​which Luke and Emily have been breaking for months, unbeknownst to their fanatical boss, Campbell (a powerfully cool-natured Eddie Marsan).

Despite the challenges posed by their unique situation, Emily and Luke have a great first day in the office fair play Like the film’s prologue, it could have been taken out of a light-hearted romantic comedy. The characters spend their hours at work secretly sharing flirtatious glances, secretly communicating their nightly plans via text, and using business-related excuses to stand at each other’s desks. Although not ideal, it’s clear that the two have found a way to make their secret relationship work that they both enjoy. Of course, everything changes when Campbell indirectly calls Emily into a bar at 2 a.m. and offers her the promotion previously rumored to be Luke’s.

From there, Emily and Luke’s relationship begins to rapidly desynchronize. When she returns home, he takes her initial silence and sad expression as a sign that Campbell had sexually assaulted her. Once she reveals the truth, Ehrenreich turns into a completely unconvincing smile and the lies, misinterpretations, and cracks in the foundation of their relationship slowly continue to grow. It’s in these small moments, like Luke’s teeth-grinding reaction to Emily’s promotion, when Domont’s writing and direction feel most precise.

The director is always aware of where to place the camera to highlight the growing rift between his two heroes. Domont doesn’t need to do anything complicated to accomplish this. Instead, he’s able to use just a small distance from Emily and a subtle focus shift to reveal Luke taking a few extra seconds to respond to a work message from Emily. Later, she finds a way to pause her actors so that both Dynevor and Ehrenreich are in the same frame at the exact same time when Emily inadvertently makes a sarcastic comment which Luke immediately takes personally. Overall, these moments only emphasize the quiet, controlled power of Dumont’s direction.

Not at any point throughout time fair play Does it feel like the filmmaker is in danger of losing visual control of the film? However, the same can’t be said for Domont’s script, which prompts several thorny, stomach-churning thoughts about the interrelationship between power and love before reaching a conclusion that’s very convincing and clear. The progression of Luke and Emily’s romantic disintegration is subtly depicted fair playplot, but once the dysfunctional nature of their relationship escalates to destructive levels, the film begins to reach the kind of climactic moments and decisions that are too broad for a movie that spends so much of its runtime being about nothing. Spends in.

fair playIts narrative mistakes only serve to enhance the strength of its lead performances. Coming years after her breakout turn bridgerton In Season 1, Dynevor gets a chance to deliver another potentially starmaking performance as Emily, a character whose moments of silent panic and frustration allow the actress to properly stretch her acting muscles onscreen. Meanwhile, Ehrenreich pursues his turn at liberation oppenheimer Earlier this year with another performance that reminded us once again why he was viewed as one of the most promising stars of his generation before he was briefly swallowed by the Lucasfilm machine.

For a film that isn’t afraid to take its story to legitimately violent places, it speaks to the strength of Domont’s filmmaking and the performances he delivers like nothing else. fair play It cuts quite deeply to the moment just before Luke takes advantage of the opportunity to ridicule his partner. Ehrenreich, eyes red and face covered with stubble of hair, tilts his head to the side and clicks his tongue seconds before delivering an undeserved insult. The words he speaks are disturbing in themselves, but it’s the apparently unscripted physical movement that occurs just before he speaks that really reveals the intense resentment simmering beneath the surface. fair play,

Once it’s time for those emotions to truly and fully erupt, the film doesn’t know how to handle the inevitable mess that follows. in that sense, fair playThe flaws of The Fall reflect the flaws of its characters, whose abilities to take control of their world and their lives don’t extend as far as they think.

fair play Now available to stream on Netflix. For related content, we’ve included all the best movies on Netflix, the best movies on Hulu, the best movies on Amazon Prime, and the best movies on Disney+. For Netflix fans, check out the 10 most popular movies on Netflix right now.