Chloe Domont’s psychological thriller ‘Fair Play’ released in 2023, is a testament to her artistic vision as both a writer and director. The film features English actress Phoebe Dynevor and American actor Alden Ehrenreich in lead roles, exploring the intersection of gender toxic masculinity and the volatile dynamics of ambition amidst a high-pressure corporate culture. A scalding indictment of competitive capitalism, Fair Play boasts an intricate narrative of pseudo-equalitarian workplaces where patriarchal systems masked by meritocracy foster covert warfare amongst its participants.
Plot Summary
Emily Meyers and Luke Edmunds share a secret romance while working as junior analysts for a top-tier hedge fund located in New York City. Although company policy strictly forbids relationships between coworkers, Emily and Luke’s bond is heavily inflected with the promises of youth, punctuated by lilting worries of the future and Ivy League dreams. They engage at a family wedding, cueing together in the throes of passion to outline a collective narrative spiraling beyond just employment.
However their dreams stand little chance against a ruthless business world. Quite predictably, when a senior position becomes available, all bets are on Luke. However, to Emily’s shock, her promotion of being offered the position comes as a slap to her already fragile relationship. What initially appears to be a celebration exposes deeper cracks.
Luke outwardly supports Emily after her recent promotion at work. Inwardly, he is filled with insecurities as he compares his stagnation to her progress. As Emily boldly thrives in her new role, winning approval from senior leadership, Luke’s pent-up resentment continues to build to dangerous levels.
Their relationship, previously strained, now festers below the surface. A self-help program aimed at giving Luke control only serves to make him emotionally volatile. Exercising control turns to blaming Emily for rationally gaining favor with her boss while he attempts to thwart her efforts indirectly. What begins as passive-aggressive exchanges soon escalates into emotional abuse which ultimately leads to horrific acts of sexual violence.
The film’s climactic scene mismatches Emily finally confronting Luke, the first time Luke is shown animated. No longer willing to tolerate his manipulation, Emily has to force him to tell the truth about his behavior and his jealousy. In a final sequence rich with symbology, she reclaims control not just over her relationship but over her narrative and her future.
Characters and Performances
Emily Meyers (Phoebe Dynevor)
Meyers portrays a woman trying to achieve success in a male-dominated field of an industry as a complex character. Dynevor focuses on the emotional strength of the film, balancing the film’s emotional heart with warmth, strength, and even tenderness, as well as vulnerability.
Luke Edmunds (Alden Ehrenreich)
Ehrenreich’s nuanced performance showcases a man succumbing to the weight of unmet ambition and evolving societal power structures. He walks a fine line between horror and sympathy with Luke in his deviation from the mainstream, reactionary branding of toxic masculinity.
Campbell (Eddie Marsan)
Cynical and calculating, the firm’s Campbell serves as a deeply rooted old guard Campbell, epitomizing the firm’s chilling C.E.O. as the firm’s steely president.
Alongside other senior manager and analyst characters, the supporting cast offer a glimpse into the cruel world of high finance that surrounds and shapes the characters. However, it is the intense chemistry and growing tension between Dynevor and Ehrenreich that infuse the film with life and drive it to its conclusion.
Themes and Symbolism
- Power Relations within social constructs
Fair Play, at its core, is concerned about the sociological impact of role reversal in a workplace setting. Emily’s triumphs undermine Luke’s sense of traditional manhood and self-esteem. The film showcases the lingering discomfort many men experience when confronted by female counterparts excelling in formerly male bastions.
- Insecurity and Hyper-masculinity
Luke’s transformation from a supportive partner to a manipulative abuser is depicted in a chillingly realistic manner. The film demonstrates the extremes male insecurity can reach in regard to control, gaslighting, and even violence. His resentment towards celebrating Emily’s success deeply illustrates his character.
- Gender-Based Discrimination and Corporate Culture
The hedge fund’s oppressive atmosphere acts as a metaphor for the greater societal problem of systemic gender discrimination. Emily’s achievements come with a price. She is perpetually under surveillance, and her actions are critiqued more than those of her male peers. Security is not an option.
- Sacrifice and Ambition
While both characters desire success, the approaches they take differ significantly. The film illustrates the extremes individuals are willing to endure in sacrifice in the name of professional advancement—and how relationships often become collateral damage to unbridled ambition.
- Reclamation and Violence
The conclusion of Emily’s journey marks a cathartic moment for her. Instead of a sensationalized revenge narrative, the film shows her reclaiming her voice, enforcing the acknowledgment of harm in a controlled, symbolic, and deeply empowering act.
Direction, Cinematography, and Score
The director Chloe Domont brings a controlled and assured vision to her first feature film. The film’s tension is masterfully constructed through sharp visual cues; rigid composition, reflective surfaces, and the stifling city apartment and office interiors.
Menno Mans’ cinematography also emphasizes the evolving emotions. Cold workplace blues and grays sharply contrast to the warmer colors portraying Emily and Luke’s home, showcasing intimacy erosion over time.
Brian McOmber’s score, while minimal, is striking in its effectiveness. It ambient soundscapes and discordant notes to mirror escalating character conflict.
Critical Reception
Fair Play was well-received by critics and audiences alike. It received special recognition for its tight screenplay, solid performances, and for tackling post-#MeToo gender politics. Numerous reviewers drew comparisons to classic 90s erotic thrillers, but stressed the film’s more nuanced, character-driven approach.
Critics highlighted Dynevor’s breakout performance as fearless, intelligent, and emotionally riveting. Ehrenreich’s take on Luke’s gradual emotional unspooling received acclaim for its subtle, emotionally dense character work.
Some reviewers have expressed their criticism of a specific scene, portraying sexual violence within the context of the film’s intense third act. Despite criticism, this section is executed with skill and intention, illuminating yet another layer to the volatile dynamic of control and the nuanced relationship conflict.
Conclusion
Fair Play is a smart and deeply unsettling psychological thriller that accurately reflects the contemporary anxieties regarding gender, power, and ambition. It invites audiences to consider the manner in which success is regarded with such disparate lenses depending on its achiever, as well as the ways love transforms into a perilous affair when pride suffers injury.
The film transcends the boundaries of a relationship drama or a corporate satire, becoming a cautionary tale regarding the very social structures that reward ambition yet simultaneously poison intimacy, eliciting violence from fragile masculinity when it is challenged. Bolstered by two magnetic performances and powered by an unflinching script, the film remains a potent socio-cultural critique.
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