I’ve been rewatching some erotic thrillers of late. A hallmark of the 1980s and early 1990s, I was the wrong age to appreciate them the first time around. Then, when factoring all the changes to the industry, the challenging (and decidedly adult) sub-genre hasn’t been the rage… until Sundance 2023, that is. With movies like Fair Play getting set to roll out, perhaps the erotic thriller is ready to make a comeback.
Fair Play tells the story of a young couple who are just trying to live life. They’re young, they’re in love, and they are impossibly hot for one another. There’s just one problem. They’re both working at the same finance company, and their relationship is against the rules.
When one of them receives a promotion the other thought they were in line for, a shroud of tension settles over the relationship. Will they be able to salvage what they had? Phoebe Dynevor, Alden Ehrenreich, Eddie Marsan, and Rich Sommer co-star in the movie. Chloe Domont directs Fair Play from her own script.
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In Fair Play, Domont creates a personal, intimate, and searing look at not only the finance industry but also the power dynamics inherent in every personal relationship.
A narrative like this can be a challenge, as objectivity is often a struggle to maintain. Someone always ends up being the “bad guy.”
As the couple, Dynevor and Ehrenreich sink their teeth into these two rough, relatable, and decidedly real human beings. They come to life on-screen in their ambiguity… warts and all.
Fair Play takes a hard look at not only women and what they must endure in order to get ahead in an abrasive industry like finance, but at the same time, casts an unflinching eye on contemporary masculinity.
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As a character, Luke is a welcomed one for Ehrenreich, who has stumbled a bit in recent years… especially after his part in a “Galaxy Far, Far Away.” He’s an incredible young talent who has struggled mightily to find a role matching his skill. Luckily, this just might be it.
Luke’s arc is a hard one. We’re introduced to this young man as the ideal partner. He’s stupidly in love with his girlfriend and is willing to do anything for her.
There is, however, an unspoken power dynamic between the two. He’s the boy with a spot inside the ”boys club.” He fully anticipates getting promoted. Meanwhile, Emily’s career is more of an afterthought for him. It’s made clear early in the film that finance is a cutthroat, far from permanent industry. Will this likable young woman really get that far?
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When Emily earns the promotion he felt certain he was in line for, Luke is thrown for a loop. He does his darndest to show he’s supportive, but as he watches his fiancée struggle in navigating the boys club in which they are each embroiled, a cloud is cast over his relaxed demeanor.
In a social and professional culture that places a high value on power, Luke finds himself with a target on his back at the office. Suddenly, he’s struggling to cope. He’s never felt weak before. He shouldn’t need Emily’s help.
Domont injects layers into each of these characters, which are truly a thing of beauty, especially when working with these talented performers. Each of these characters is a fully developed individual at the center of their own story.
At the same time, Eddie Marsan brings a haunting and powerful performance as company chief Campbell. His work simmers over time and lives rent-free in your brain.
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In a post-Weinstein and Trump world, characters like Campbell are a dime a dozen. We know type. The “absolute power corrupts absolutely” executives, and Campbell certainly qualifies.
Marsan isn’t afraid to let us see the rough edges in Campbell’s polished exterior. At the same time, though, his chemistry with Dynevor is spot on. While there is an ongoing worry he could “do something” (largely in Luke’s terrified brain), the film leaves this ambiguous. We never see him violate physical lines. However, there’s always a suspicion he could. Marsan’s performance is a powder keg in an equally dynamic film, and it’s an understated gem coming out of Sundance.
Domont weaves these tense performances together into an equally tense environment. In her feature film directorial debut, she is perfectly comfortable mining the silent moments. Fair Play is cold, hash, and impersonal. However, in this rock-hard environment, the imperfect relatability in these characters explodes off the screen in a brilliant debut effort. It will be a joy watching where Domont goes from here.
Fair Play is a tense, relentlessly crafted adult thriller. The simmering tension baked into the narrative, complete with a sprinkling of erotic drama, shows up-and-comer Chloe Domont bringing the erotic thriller into the new millennium. This challenging narrative won’t be for everyone, but if you can meld with the ambiguity and the tension, you’ll be pulled right in.
Netflix purchased Fair Play at Sundance. Stay tuned to Geek Girl Authority for future release information.
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