Fair Play

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 ...

Its amazing how one film can be predictable, implausible and preposterous all at the same time, but writer-director Chloe Domonts 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 its a bit trite in this day and age). The picture might be more worth watching if the two protagonists (Phoeb...

"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 c...

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-