Fair Play excels in showcasing the reality of toxic masculinity in a male dominated workplace. Its brilliant writing delivers a riveting psychological thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat.
Fair Play Movie Review
Phoebe Dynevor and Alden Ehrenreich turn up the heat with stellar performances in Netflix’s Fair Play. Emily (Dynevor) and Luke (Ehrenreich) are a newly engaged powerhouse couple, with what seems like a bright future. They’re undeniably hot for each other with fire chemistry that you think you’ll be routing for them the whole way through. Because they work at the same finance company, they decide to keep their relationship secretive.
Things turn a bit sideways when Emily gets the promotion Luke thought was his. Although he first appears to be supportive of her, it is very clear that Luke is disappointed. He now reports to Emily, and immediately tries to take advantage of her because they’re engaged.
The finance company they work for is made up predominantly of men, and they are very vulgar and crass, even with Emily present. She tries to blend in and “be one of the guys,” even making her own crude remarks, but it’s a very unsettling situation. Emily’s co-workers are disrespectful, verbally abusive, and enable a hostile work environment. Fair Play is intended to make you feel uncomfortable, and it succeeds in doing so.
Luke and Emily’s relationship unravels slowly and convincingly, making it a slow burn. All hope is lost for this “power couple” when Luke becomes condescending and emotionally checks out of their relationship. It’s unsettling to witness how two people who were so crazy in love with each other come crashing down. However, it is believable because we watch Luke become completely undone.
Fair Play works because the storyline is very real. It’s no secret that women struggle to succeed in a cutthroat male dominated work environment. And when they do rise, people will taunt them saying they were “sleeping to the top,” amongst other derogative things. Their promotion and success is never because they actually deserved it. Fair Play doesn’t shy away from this and forces us to look at these very real circumstances.
Fair Play had me invested right until the end scene. It took a weird turn, and I didn’t think it felt right. For a film as powerful and believable as this one, I feel an alternative ending could have worked better. Overall, Fair Play embodies the gruesome truth of a male dominated society, making women feel small and invalid, and the ruthless abuse that goes along with it. Fair Play is streaming on Netflix October 6, 2023.
Fair Play Synopsis
An unexpected promotion at a cutthroat hedge fund pushes a young couple’s relationship to the brink, threatening to unravel far more than their recent engagement.
Fair Play has an MPA rating of R for pervasive language, sexual content, some nudity, and sexual violence. It has a runtime 1 hour 55 minutes.
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