Fair Play (2023)

A young couple's relationship is tested by ambition and power at a ruthless hedge fund. Fans of *Billions* will enjoy.

Genres: Drama, Thriller, Romance

Cast

  • Cast member 1
  • Cast member 2
  • Cast member 3
  • Cast member 4
  • Cast member 5
  • Cast member 6
  • Cast member 7
  • Cast member 8
  • Cast member 9
  • Cast member 10

Your Status

Fair Play(2023)

R
Movie1h 53mEnglishDrama, Thriller, Romance
6.2
User Score
79%
Critic Score
IMDb
Director: Chloe Domont
Writer: Chloe Domont

Where to Watch

subscription

Overview

An unexpected promotion at a cutthroat hedge fund pushes a young couple's relationship to the brink, threatening to unravel not only their recent engagement but their lives.

My Friends' Ratings

None of your friends have rated this yet.

Featured Comments/Tips

The real enemy in this movie is the mother. But in all seriousness, this is a very good depiction of how a major event can cause a relationship to go from great to bad.

What an annoying movie. Guy throws a pity party for two hours because his fiancée gets a promotion instead of him.

Have you ever wondered what could happen in your relationship if both are working in the same company and not being able to tell anyone because of company policies and one of you getting promoted? This movie gives you a glimpse of one of the possible scenarios. A wild ride! It certainly isn't a perfect film, but it's interesting as hell. Great performances from the leading actors.

great acting and really portrays well the ego clashes between the couple

Did she get one over on Luke! Boy she certainly stood up for herself. Everything changed after she got the promotion and Luke spiralled in to an utter state of despair. It shows a financial dog eat dog world of making money for your company. When you are on top everyone loves, but make one mistake and your history. What a depressing situation. But she came out on top, kicking Luke when he was at Rock bottom. Very tough life lesson. Well worth a watch. :thumbsup_tone1:

This was far better than I expected, keeping me on the edge of my seat. The acting is great, I was pleasantly surprised by Phoebe Dynevor, who I had only seen in Bridgerton before this. The dynamic and chemistry between the leads are also great. There are some unhinged moments in the movie, but overall, it's unfortunately not far from life. I am surprised that they didn't include another woman trying to drag her down (besides her mother in a way lol) because that is very lifelike as well. Now that I think of it, basically, there aren't any women in the movie besides the lead, only in inferior positions such as strippers and, well, the mother and the extras at the party. That in itself is an interesting feature of this movie, showing that it certainly has more depth than it shows. I was afraid that the climax (of the movie..) would be a bit messier, and at first, I was skeptical about the very last scene, but overall I think it was a good finish to a good movie. Now I got to go unwind because I have a mild PTSD after some scenes and dynamics here.

Two employees of an investment firm (Phoebe Dynevor and Alden Ehrenreich) are secretly in a relationship, and then she receives a promotion that they both assumed he would get, with serious repercussions for their personal lives. That's the simple but incredibly effective premise of this intense relationship psychothriller. Of course, everything stands or falls on the chemistry between Dynevor and Ehrenreich, which is truly excellent. The couple starts off in a fairly harmonious place, but then a certain tension slowly builds until it finally escalates completely. Themes such as toxic masculinity, sexism in the workplace, and the dark side of the financial world are dealt with quite pointedly. However, as the story progresses, the characters' actions become increasingly implausible, dampening my enthusiasm. The film also lost its way in the final third. Nevertheless, it's still a pretty decent debut for director Chloe Domont.

Still trying to work out why Luke would kneel at his boss? there’s gender stereotypes at play, sexism, feminism, but is there also another dig at…masculinity?

Wall Street meets 50 Shades Of Grey. Great movie.

Had a lot of potential but didn't quite hit home for me.

it started out slowly, but it got better and more tense by the minute.

This movie is not playful nor bottled into a single setting nor is it particularly erotic. However, it examines power dynamics in a relationship, all centered around a high stakes job. It takes a bit to get going, but when it gets going, it is viscous as it builds up a sense of foreboding as the insidious and subtle incisions spiral into downright terror. Set against in what seems like either a hedge fund or a prop shop, capturing the high octane environment, the pressure, and the toxicity, throwing a couple into the mix and watching their relationship careen wildly across the screen. Alden Ehrenreich builds off his performance in Oppenheimer with an excellent portrayal of a type of character that sorely is missing examination in media, but the real star performance is Phoebe Dynevor whose anxiety is palpable with every movement. This is a stressful and deeply unpleasant movie, but an important one, and I do think if you enjoy examinations of power dynamics in relationships, you should watch this.

In a realm of corporate chaos, where the allure of a hefty paycheck is overshadowed by the looming presence of cutthroat colleagues, it's a toxic jungle where every cubicle dweller is a predator vying for dominance. Survival means constantly watching your back, even if it means bowing to the whims of a ruthless boss without a shred of remorse. In this perilous landscape, emotions are deemed a weakness, a vulnerability to be exploited by those hungry for power. The very fabric of relationships strains under the weight of hierarchical divides, where sharing advice becomes a precarious dance of diplomacy and self-preservation. And when even your boss fails to see the value in your personal connections, secrecy becomes your only refuge. Blame is a murky game played amidst the chaos, with no clear victor in sight. As tensions reach a boiling point, the temptation to cast someone as the scapegoat grows ever stronger, a desperate bid to maintain the fragile balance of power. Yet, amidst the chaos and the clamor, I couldn't help but view this cesspool of ambition with a mix of disdain and reluctance.

Better than I expected. I really liked that the characters dug deeper to understand each other's emotions. [spoiler] "Why is it so hard to accept that I was doing better? Why is it so hard to accept that I deserved that job? Why can’t that just be okay? Why does everything have to depend on whether you make it to number one?"[/spoiler] [spoiler]The guy obviously sucks. Hidden misogynist, cannot deal with rejection, is not good at his job, etc. He needs therapy and get his act together.[/spoiler] The ending surprised me and I liked it, I think the actions suited the characters.

Good but not great. If the chick's mum were my mother in law I'd hunt her down and disappear her. The story wasn't bad, and I'm sure some guy's would get bent out of shape if their woman made more money than them, but this guy was just a knob. 7/10

"Fair Play," directed by Chloe Damont, explores the intricate balance between career aspirations and romantic relationships. The film starts slowly, delving into the inner workings of the characters' corporate world, which may not resonate with everyone. However, as the power struggle between Luke and Emily intensifies, the movie's realism and tension become its strengths. The chemistry between the leads initially feels genuine, but as the story progresses, it erodes, leaving a palpable unease. The film serves as a cautionary tale about the perils of mixing work and personal life, and it's a stark reminder of the importance of keeping these spheres separate. Although it may not be everyone's cup of tea and lacks endearing characters, "Fair Play" offers a dark, high-brow exploration of relationships and ambition. It's a gripping watch that keeps you glued to the screen once it gains momentum. #FairPlayFilm #MovieReview

If i've never seen Industry on HBO then i'd be more into this. Everything this film attempts, Industry does far superior. Good acting by Ehrenreich and Dynevor

Don’t Shit where you eat. Had me captivated for the whole duration, but the one sided boyfriend got old after the halfway point. The acting is pretty decent and the ending is somewhat satisfying. Worth watching once, but I’m sure there is better things out there that cover this type of office drama.

Good movie. Develops in a way that feels both unexpected and interesting. Good dynamic between the main characters, kinda like in Marriage Story.

6-10 fair A fair for fair play….. Maybe it should be a 7-10 but I just couldn’t stretch it to that….. Secret Work place romance goes wrong, everything think is fine they are covering their tracks to avoid being found out, until a big promotion arrives for one of them. The twist for them both is that it’s not for the one of them they thought it would be. Things start to go sour for the relationship and jealousy creeps in…. My question is would it have been the same if the tables had been turned???? We are lead to believe not, but I’m not so sure????? I would say the ending, turned the tables for me and I found myself feeling sorry for the guy, yes he was being a bit of an arse and a bit bitter. But she becomes a complete cow and very unlikable 'amp; I came away thinking to myself “run mate, run as far as you can and get away from this cancerous cow” Even though you weren’t 100% perfect yourself

Featured User Reviews

**Fair Play continues to crank the tension higher and higher, with paranoia, fear, and betrayal exploding in a stressful and well-done finale.** I saw Fair Play at Sundance 2023 in a crowd of cinema enthusiasts, making the theater experience electric and engaging! While Fair Play isn't my typical movie taste, it was exceptionally well done, with tension and stress building consistently from start to finish and exploding into all-out insanity and paranoia in the film's final act. My heart was pounding as the selfishness and jealousy of these characters devolved into pure hatred and disdain. Once the credits rolled, I finally felt like I could breathe for the first time in an hour! Domont did so much with so little, mastering suspense and keeping the audience on edge. With such arrogant and self-centered characters, it is hard to "enjoy" the film, but the craft and skill are undeniable, and it's no surprise why it was so well received at Sundance and scooped up so quickly by Netflix.

"Emily" (Phoebe Dynevor) and fiancé "Luke" (Alden Ehrenreich) are a typically happy, professional, couple, recently engage and well loved up. Gossip is going around the office that "Luke" is destined for a promotion that will mean loads more cash for the pair and she seems delighted for him. Well, boss "Campbell" (Eddie Marsan) has other plans as he decides to give the job to her! Is he delighted? Well outwardly yes, but inwardly...? She is also uncertain. Not of her ability to do her new job, but of how to avoid bruising his increasingly obviously delicate ego. What now ensues is a rather fat-fetched eggshell dance that sees their relationship put under enormous pressure? Can it survive? Well, frankly I didn't care. The whole story seems contrived to create as much tension and distrust amongst the couple who at one stage are about to be married and at the next, well they might not cross the road to chat with each other. It takes a swipe at the greasy pole and at the whole corporate "getting-on" ethos, but in such a linear and unimaginative fashion. Way too many stereotypical attitudes and platitudes and by the end I was really quite uninterested in who got what, if anything, from this rather pedestrian and over-scripted melodrama. Sorry, perhaps I just wasn't in the mood - but this did nothing for me.

FULL SPOILER-FREE REVIEW @ https://www.firstshowing.net/2023/review-chloe-domonts-fair-play-poignantly-tackles-gender-politics/ "Fair Play is an emotionally charged exploration of love, ambition, and gender dynamics. Chloe Domont thoughtfully addresses these themes, highlighting biases faced by successful women, the personal challenges of couples working in the same space, and the inevitable vulnerabilities that arise from these scenarios. The dedicated performances from Phoebe Dyvenor and Alden Ehrenreich make it a gripping viewing experience, emphasizing the film's thought-provoking messages about gender politics and seeking equal recognition based on merit rather than gender. The dramatic conclusion warrants heated debate…" Rating: A-

It’s amazing how one film can be predictable, implausible and preposterous all at the same time, but writer-director Chloe Domont’s debut feature manages to pull off this trifecta of lamentable attributes with remarkable ease. This alleged psychological thriller goes from bad to worse as its plot hole-filled story degenerates from a boring, clandestine office romance into an over-the-top envy-driven battle of egos when one partner unexpectedly gets promoted over the other at a prestigious Wall Street firm. The way in which this unfolds, though, is largely laughable, despite an underlying message that has some noteworthy merit (even if it’s a bit trite in this day and age). The picture might be more worth watching if the two protagonists (Phoebe Dynevor, Alden Ehrenreich) weren’t so inherently deplorable and portrayed with some of the hammiest on-screen acting I’ve seen in a long time. This is all made worse by one of the most awful scripts I’ve come across in a while, with almost as much tawdry, needlessly foul language since “The Wolf of Wall Street” (2013). Put these qualities together and you’ve got an absolute work of utter trash that makes the prime time soap operas of the 1980s look like epic storytelling. Indeed, as far as how this one plays, all I can say is “No fair.”

VideosYouTube

Leave a Comment/Tip

140 characters remaining

Write a Review

10000 characters remaining

Set Alert

We'll notify you when Fair Play becomes available on:

Report an Issue

What's wrong with this page?

Create New List

0/125 characters (minimum 5)

Examples:

  • Sci-Fi Classics
  • Date Night Movies
  • Shows to Watch with Kids
  • Award Winners

Fair Play Poster

100%
Fair Play Poster

Available in 6 Countries

🇦🇺

Australia

Subscription

🇧🇷

Brazil

Subscription

🇨🇦

Canada

Subscription

🇮🇳

India

Subscription

🇪🇸

Spain

Subscription

🇬🇧

United Kingdom

Subscription

Loading

...
Fair Play (2023) - Where to Watch, Reviews, Trailers, Cast - Watchmode