Fair Play (2023 film)

Last updated

Fair Play
Fair play 2023poster.png
Theatrical release poster with original streaming release date
Directed by Chloe Domont
Written byChloe Domont
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyMenno Mans
Edited byFranklin Peterson
Music byBrian McOmber
Production
companies
Distributed by Netflix
Release dates
  • January 20, 2023 (2023-01-20)(Sundance)
  • September 29, 2023 (2023-09-29)(United States)
Running time
113 minutes [1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Fair Play is a 2023 American erotic psychological thriller film written and directed by Chloe Domont in her feature directorial debut. Starring Phoebe Dynevor, Alden Ehrenreich, Eddie Marsan, and Rich Sommer, the film focuses on a young couple whose relationship begins to unravel following an unexpected promotion at a cutthroat hedge fund firm. Rian Johnson was an executive producer on the film.

Contents

Fair Play premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival on January 20, and was released in select theaters on September 29, 2023, before its streaming release by Netflix on October 6. The film received positive reviews from critics.

Plot

Emily Meyers and Luke Edmunds, analysts at the cutthroat Manhattan hedge fund One Crest Capital, are in a secret passionate relationship unbeknownst to their coworkers. He proposes to her while at his brother's wedding and, after a moment's hesitation, she happily accepts. The next day, one of the company's portfolio managers is fired. Emily tells Luke she overheard her colleagues mention that Luke was being considered as a replacement and they celebrate that night. At a late-night meeting with Campbell, the firm's CEO, she learns she will be receiving the promotion. Emily reluctantly breaks the news to Luke, but he expresses his support.

As Emily settles into her new job, Luke's resentment over not being promoted becomes increasingly apparent, leading to tensions in their relationship. Luke becomes consumed with the work of a self-help guru coaching people on how to assert themselves in the workplace. When Emily questions his spending $3,000 on the course, Luke suggests she could benefit from becoming more assertive, to which she becomes defensive. He rebuffs her attempts to initiate sex and goes to bed.

While out for drinks with Campbell and Paul, a senior executive at the fund, Emily learns that Campbell wants to get rid of Luke, considering him ineffectual. She attempts to advocate more for Luke in the workplace, but it backfires when he makes a poor trading call that loses the company $15 million, leading to Campbell insulting her. Luke attempts to recover by feeding Emily insider information confirming the alleged collapse of a company whose stock the fund can short. Concerned about the trade being illegal, she recommends Campbell short another company, which works. When the short sale is closed, Emily receives a $575,000 commission check.

Emily considers celebrating her success with Luke, who is in her office after hours to discuss strategies for future trades but opts to go to a strip club with her male co-workers. She comes home intoxicated while he, after seeing the check, has no interest in having sex with her. When another portfolio manager is fired the next day, Luke wants Emily to recommend him for the role, but she hints Campbell is not interested in promoting him. He goes to Campbell's office and makes an elaborate speech pledging his loyalty to him, only to learn Campbell has already hired a new portfolio manager.

That night, Emily learns that her mother had planned a surprise engagement party for them that Friday. A drunken Luke accuses her of stealing his job, but she reveals Campbell wanted to fire him, leading him to storm out. The next day, while Emily, Campbell, and Paul pitch to overseas investors, Luke barges into the conference room intoxicated and causes a scene, berating Campbell for denying him a promotion and revealing his relationship with Emily, which has violated company policy since her promotion.

An infuriated Emily is unable to reach Luke over the phone, only to find him at the engagement party. They argue in front of their families, and she smashes a bottle on Luke's head when he suggests she had traded sexual favors for the promotion. Emily retreats to a bathroom where Luke finds her and the two argue before he rapes her. During this, he slams her forward twice, causing her to bash her face against the bathroom counter. Emily tells Luke to stop, but he does not. The next morning, to protect her job, she tells Campbell she was being stalked by Luke and they were never in a relationship.

Emily returns home to find Luke there, having packed up his belongings and planning to move in with his brother. Infuriated by his nonchalant attitude and demanding an apology for raping her, she threatens him with a knife. Emily attacks Luke with the knife until he apologizes and breaks down crying. Once he sincerely begs for her forgiveness, she orders him to leave before dropping the knife and smiling.

Cast

Production

The film was announced in December 2021, with Chloe Domont writing and directing, and Alden Ehrenreich and Phoebe Dynevor set to star in the film. [2] Production began in January 2022 in Serbia. [3] In February, Sebastian de Souza, Eddie Marsan and Rich Sommer joined the cast. [4] [5] [6] [7]

Release

Fair Play was released in select theaters on September 29, 2023, before streaming on Netflix on October 6, 2023. [8] The film's streaming release was originally scheduled for October 13, before it was moved up. [9]

The film premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival on January 20, 2023. [10] Shortly after, Netflix acquired distribution rights to the film, after a bidding war between at least seven companies including Searchlight Pictures and Neon, for $20 million. [11] [12] It had its international premiere at the 48th Toronto International Film Festival on September 11, 2023. [13] [14]

For its European premiere, the film was shown in the section Feature Film Competition of the 19th Zurich Film Festival in late September 2023. [15]

Reception

Critical response

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes , 85% of 231 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.4/10.The website's consensus reads: "With assured style that's at times reminiscent of the best '90s nail-biting thrillers, Fair Play juxtaposes premarital disharmony with greed and gender politics in the cutthroat finance world." [16] Metacritic , which uses a weighted average , assigned the film a score of 73 out of 100, based on 47 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews. [17]

In his review for Variety , Owen Gleiberman lauded Domont's screenplay and direction, as well the cast performances, writing that "Fair Play, while full of sex, money, corporate backstabbing, and a lot of other things that are fun to watch, really is a good little movie." [18]

Describing it as a "steamy, razor-wired, barking-mad movie" in his review for IndieWire, Ryan Lattanzio assigned the film a grade of A− and praised the screenplay and cast performances (particularly Ehrenreich's). [19]

Kevin Maher of the Times gave it a score of four out of five, stating: "There's something bracingly modern yet deliberately old-fashioned about this guilty pleasure thriller set in the aspirational world of Manhattan high finance." [20]

Accolades

AwardDate of ceremonyCategoryRecipient(s)ResultRef.
Sundance Film Festival January 27, 2023 Grand Jury Prize – DramaticFair PlayNominated [21]
Zurich Film Festival October 8, 2023Best International Feature FilmNominated [22]
Indiana Film Journalists AssociationDecember 18, 2023Best PictureNominated [23]
Best Original Screenplay Chloe Domont Nominated
Best Lead Performance Phoebe Dynevor Nominated
Best EditingFranklin PetersonNominated
Breakout of the YearChloe DomontNominated
Astra Film and Creative Awards January 6, 2024 Best First FeatureNominated [24]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Riley Keough</span> American actress (born 1989)

Danielle Riley Keough is an American actress and the eldest grandchild of Elvis Presley. She made her feature film debut in a supporting part in the musical biopic The Runaways (2010), portraying Marie Currie. Keough subsequently starred in the independent thriller The Good Doctor (2011), before being cast in a minor role in Steven Soderbergh's comedy film Magic Mike (2012). She had her first big-budget release in the action feature Mad Max: Fury Road (2015).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rian Johnson</span> American filmmaker (born 1973)

Rian Craig Johnson is an American filmmaker. He made his directorial debut with the neo-noir mystery film Brick (2005), which received positive reviews and grossed nearly $4 million on a $450,000 budget. Transitioning to higher-profile films, Johnson achieved mainstream recognition for writing and directing the science-fiction thriller Looper (2012) to critical and commercial success. Johnson landed his largest project when he wrote and directed the space opera Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017), which grossed over $1 billion. He returned to the mystery genre with Knives Out (2019) and its sequel Glass Onion (2022), both of which earned him Academy Award nominations for Best Original Screenplay and Best Adapted Screenplay, respectively.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lily Collins</span> English and American actress (born 1989)

Lily Jane Collins is an English and American actress. Born in Guildford and raised in Los Angeles, she began performing on screen at the age of two in the BBC sitcom Growing Pains. In the late 2000s, she began acting and modelling more regularly, and gained recognition for her supporting role in the sports drama film The Blind Side (2009). She went on to star in several films, including the horror film Priest (2011), the thriller Abduction (2011), and the fantasy films Mirror Mirror (2012) and The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones (2013).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alden Ehrenreich</span> American actor

Alden Caleb Ehrenreich is an American actor. He began his career by appearing in the television series Supernatural (2005), and in Francis Ford Coppola's films Tetro (2009) and Twixt (2011). Following supporting roles in the 2013 films Blue Jasmine and Stoker, his breakthrough came in 2016 with a lead role in the Coen brothers' comedy Hail, Caesar!, for which he gained praise.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phoebe Dynevor</span> English actress (born 1995)

Phoebe Harriet Dynevor is an English actress. On television, she is best known for her role as Daphne, the fourth Bridgerton child, in the Netflix period drama Bridgerton (2020–2022). Her films include The Colour Room (2021), Bank of Dave (2023), and Fair Play (2023). She earned a BAFTA Rising Star Award nomination in 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zoey Deutch</span> American actress and producer (born 1994)

Zoey Francis Chaya Thompson Deutch is an American actress and producer. The younger daughter of director Howard Deutch and actress-director Lea Thompson, Deutch made her acting debut in television during the early 2010s, with roles on Disney Channel's The Suite Life on Deck (2010–2011) and CW's Ringer (2011–2012).

<i>Stoker</i> (film) 2013 psychological thriller film by Park Chan-wook

Stoker is a 2013 psychological thriller film directed by Park Chan-wook, in his English-language debut, and written by Wentworth Miller. The film stars Mia Wasikowska, Matthew Goode, Nicole Kidman, Dermot Mulroney, and Jacki Weaver.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Margaret Qualley</span> American actress (born 1994)

Sarah Margaret Qualley is an American actress. A daughter of actress Andie MacDowell, she trained as a ballet dancer in her youth. She made her acting debut in the 2013 drama film Palo Alto and gained recognition for her supporting role in the HBO drama series The Leftovers (2014–2017).

<i>The Yellow Birds</i> (film) 2017 film

The Yellow Birds is a 2017 American war film directed by Alexandre Moors and based on the novel The Yellow Birds by Kevin Powers. The film stars Tye Sheridan, Alden Ehrenreich, Toni Collette, Jason Patric, Jack Huston, and Jennifer Aniston.

<i>Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile</i> 2019 film by Joe Berlinger

Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile is a 2019 American biographical crime drama film about the life of serial killer Ted Bundy. Directed by Joe Berlinger with a screenplay from Michael Werwie, the film is based on Bundy's former girlfriend Elizabeth Kendall's memoir, The Phantom Prince: My Life with Ted Bundy. The film stars Zac Efron as Bundy, Lily Collins as Kendall, Kaya Scodelario as Bundy's wife Carole Ann Boone, and John Malkovich as Edward Cowart, the presiding judge at Bundy's trial. The title of the film is a reference to Cowart's remarks on Bundy's murders while sentencing him to death.

<i>Velvet Buzzsaw</i> 2019 film directed by Dan Gilroy

Velvet Buzzsaw is a 2019 American satirical black comedy horror film directed and written by Dan Gilroy and starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Zawe Ashton, Rene Russo, Toni Collette, Daveed Diggs, Tom Sturridge, Natalia Dyer, Billy Magnussen, and John Malkovich. The film had its world premiere at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival on January 27.

<i>Wounds</i> (film) 2019 film directed by Babak Anvari

Wounds is a 2019 psychological horror film written and directed by Babak Anvari, in his English language debut, and starring Armie Hammer, Dakota Johnson, and Zazie Beetz. The film is based on the novella The Visible Filth by Nathan Ballingrud.

<i>I Am Mother</i> 2019 film by Grant Sputore

I Am Mother is a 2019 Australian science fiction thriller film directed by Grant Sputore, from a screenplay by Michael Lloyd Green, based on a story by both. Starring Clara Rugaard, Luke Hawker, Rose Byrne, and Hilary Swank, the film follows Daughter, a girl in a post-apocalyptic bunker, being raised by Mother, a robot who is aiding the repopulation of Earth. The film had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on 25 January 2019. Netflix released it in several countries on 7 June 2019.

<i>His House</i> 2020 thriller film directed by Remi Weekes

His House is a 2020 horror thriller film written and directed by Remi Weekes from a story by Felicity Evans and Toby Venables. It stars Wunmi Mosaku, Sope Dirisu and Matt Smith. The film tells the story of a refugee couple from South Sudan, struggling to adjust to their new life in an English town that has an evil lurking beneath the surface.

<i>The Forty-Year-Old Version</i> 2020 film by Radha Blank

The Forty-Year-Old Version is a 2020 American comedy-drama film written, directed, and produced by Radha Blank, in her feature directorial debut. It stars Blank, Peter Kim, Oswin Benjamin, and Reed Birney.

Darci Louise Shaw is an English actress.

<i>Emily the Criminal</i> 2022 film by John Patton Ford

Emily the Criminal is a 2022 American crime thriller film written and directed by John Patton Ford in his feature directorial debut. It stars Aubrey Plaza as the titular character, alongside Theo Rossi, Megalyn Echikunwoke, and Gina Gershon in supporting roles. The film follows Emily Benetto, a young woman saddled with student debt and locked out of the job market due to a criminal record, who gets involved in a credit card scam that pulls her into the criminal underworld of Los Angeles.

<i>Pain Hustlers</i> 2023 film by David Yates

Pain Hustlers is a 2023 American crime comedy film co-produced and directed by David Yates from a screenplay by Wells Tower, based on the 2022 book of the same name by Evan Hughes. The film is loosely based on the activities of the real world company Insys Therapeutics and their role in the US opioid crisis. The film stars Emily Blunt, Chris Evans, Andy García, Catherine O'Hara, Jay Duplass, Brian d'Arcy James, and Chloe Coleman. Its plot centers on a high school dropout who lands a job with a failing pharmaceutical company in Central Florida, where she soon finds herself at the center of a criminal conspiracy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chloe Domont</span> American screenwriter and director (born 1987)

Chloe Domont is an American television and film writer and director, best known for her 2023 film directorial debut, Fair Play, an erotic thriller about gender dynamics in the workplace.

Courtney Taylor is an American actress and comedian.

References

  1. ↑ "Fair Play (18)". BBFC . August 23, 2023. Retrieved August 22, 2023.
  2. ↑ Kroll, Justin (December 1, 2021). "Alden Ehrenreich And Phoebe Dynevor To Star In Fair Play". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved December 23, 2022.
  3. ↑ Kasule, Melissa (December 3, 2021). "Fair Play drama set to shoot in Serbia". Kemps Film and TV Production Services Handbook . Retrieved December 23, 2022.
  4. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (February 7, 2022). "Fair Play: Sebastian de Souza, Eddie Marsan & Rich Sommer Join MRC & T-Street Finance World Thriller". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved December 23, 2022.
  5. ↑ "'Fair Play' Cast on Creating Sundance's Most Shocking Sex Scene: 'There Was Too Much Blood at One Point'". Variety. January 22, 2023.
  6. ↑ "'Fair Play' Sundance Review: An Intense Ride Down A Slippery Slope As A Young Couple Descends Into Relationship Hell". Deadline. January 21, 2023.
  7. ↑ "With 'Fair Play,' Director Chloe Domont Creates the Kind of Steamy, Psycho-Sexual Thriller We Haven't Seen Since the '90s". Variety. October 11, 2023.
  8. ↑ Complex, Valerie (September 26, 2023). "'Fair Play' Trailer: Phoebe Dynevor & Alden Ehrenreich Star In Sexy Netflix Psychological Thriller". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved September 29, 2023.
  9. ↑ Scorziello, Sophia (August 8, 2023). "Fair Play Trailer: Alden Ehrenreich and Phoebe Dynevor Go at Each Other's Throats in Netflix's Erotic Thriller". Variety . Retrieved August 8, 2023.
  10. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony; Patten, Dominic (December 7, 2022). "Sundance Film Festival Lineup Set With Ukraine War, Little Richard, Michael J. Fox, Judy Blume Docs; Pics With Anne Hathaway, Emilia Clarke, Jonathan Majors; More". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved December 7, 2022.
  11. ↑ Fleming, Mike Jr. (January 23, 2023). "Netflix Closing Deal For Hot Sundance Title 'Fair Play'; Deal In $20 Million Range". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved January 23, 2023.
  12. ↑ Fleming, Mike Jr. (January 21, 2023). "Half Dozen Bidders On Fair Play Positions Drama To Be 2023 Sundance's First Big Auction Deal: The Dish". Deadline. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
  13. ↑ "Here Are the Netflix Movies Going to the Toronto International Film Festival". Tudum . Retrieved August 1, 2023.
  14. ↑ "Fairplay". TIFF . Retrieved August 18, 2023.
  15. ↑ "Fair Play".
  16. ↑ "Fair Play". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango Media . Retrieved October 19, 2023. OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  17. ↑ "Fair Play". Metacritic . Fandom, Inc. Retrieved October 19, 2023.
  18. ↑ Gleiberman, Owen (January 21, 2023). "'Fair Play' Review: A Gripping Financial Drama Dunked in Up-to-the-Minute Sexual Politics". Variety. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
  19. ↑ Lattanzio, Ryan (January 21, 2023). "'Fair Play' Review: This Sick Psychosexual Finance Thriller Is 'Industry' Directed by Adrian Lyne". IndieWire. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
  20. ↑ Maher, Kevin. "Fair Play review — sex, lies and jealousy on Wall Street". The Times . ISSN   0140-0460 . Retrieved January 26, 2023.
  21. ↑ Garufi, Sergio (January 31, 2023). "Sundance Film Festival 2023, all the winners". MIA | Mercato Internazionale Audiovisivo. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
  22. ↑ Dams2023-09-14T07:30:00+01:00, Tim. "Zurich Film Festival unveils full 2023 line-up; Todd Haynes and Jessica Chastain to be honoured". Screen. Retrieved December 16, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  23. ↑ "AwardsWatch - Indiana Film Journalists Association (IFJA) Nominations". AwardsWatch. December 12, 2023. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
  24. ↑ "AwardsWatch - 'Barbie' and 'Oppenheimer' Lead Hollywood Creative Alliance (HCA) Astra Awards Nominations". AwardsWatch. December 7, 2023. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.