The steamy romantic thriller, FAIR PLAY now airing on Netflix, is a combustible water cooler topic starring Alden Ehrenreich and Phoebe Dynevor. First, there's plenty of dissension in the boardroom as to the the main power point this debut film by writer/director Chloe Domont. Some will argue it's a sexy spin on a woman gaining eminence in the workplace and how its power play dynamics affect a relationship. Some will maintain its a sleek, phantasmal farce on the high paced world of high finance. I say these analyses sell the movie short. This equally captivating and cringeworthy, cinematic zeitgeist is mainly a character study of shameless people whose individual objectives are paramount. And, lord help the mister who comes between the sister with her dreams and schemes. Luke (an exceptional Ehrenreich) and Emily (a mesmerizing Dynevor) work at the same New York City hedge fund preparing financial reports on companies to sell/buy or hold. What holds this sleek looking and duplicitous drama on track are the prime performances from both talented actors. They play well off the other, drawing us in as their lives spiral out of control. We meet Emily cooly dragging on a fag when Luke pulls her inside to meet people at a family wedding. The two steal off to the restroom for some salacious sex. Luke goes down. onto one knee to purpose while both are smirched in menstrual blood. (Note: not the last sex scene in the public stalls.) The next day at work, a top executive who was fired goes ballistic with a golf club on his computer as the staff gawk and salivate over the new vacancy. Emily overhears a rumor the promotion is going to Luke. The couple celebrate their engagement and Luke's promotion with some bubbly in the shower. They're celebrating is premature. It's actually Emily whose given the promotion after being summoned at 2 AM in a bar from her boss. We buy in on various scenarios which should be viewed with skepticism. As Emily's star rises, their relationship implodes. Enthralled by their waning love fest, we worry whether either will confess to their relationship or be found out at work. It's unethical and grounds for termination having Luke report to Emily while being romantically involved. There's a surplus of unscrupulous people behaving badly driven by selfishness, greed and power. Luke's demise and groveling are painful to watch. The harshness of this film cuts like a knife. FAIR PLAY is an uncomfortable, contemporary exposition with many topics to debate including sexism, rape and rules of conduct. Don't reject the film because it's dark or because some people who appear to have it all, throw it all away. Appreciate this tense thriller for its absorbing and incisive look at aberrant behaviors that may prove more prescient in today's narcissistic society than surmised.
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