Review: Fair Play

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Emily (Pheobe Dynevor) and Luke (Alden Ehrenreich) are a secret couple that work in the same cut-throat hedge fund where dating colleagues is against the rules. But when one of them gets a promotion, it changes their dynamic forever.

The online chatter around this film has been something else. It's been getting great reviews, but some describe it as an erotic thriller, and others a romantic thriller, and to me it was neither. Sure, there's a lot of romance within the first 5 minutes, and a relationship is its central theme. But it's never something I would describe as "romantic" Emily and Luke seem happy enough at the beginning but we spend more time watching their partnership unravel than seeing them at their happiest. 

Director Chloe Doemont makes a strong first feature. I was engaged from start to finish with the story, it's just some of the details that bothered me. While I'd say the film is paced well overall, these two go off the rails so quickly. The entire third act is an absolute mess. Ehrenreich is not a strong enough actor to handle such a tonal shift. Dynevor fairs much better handling how drastic the changes in Emily are from start to finish.

I wish I could have another version of this movie because there was a lot of potential. I can see how this will work for many. It almost did for me. 

Grade: C+

Comments

  1. Candice FrederickOctober 16, 2023 at 10:33 AM

    yeah, i think folks are struggling to categorize the movie. while i do agree that is a bit of a throwback to erotic thrillers of the 90s, i don't think it's as sexy as that. a lot is being projected on to the film. i think the film is fine, but i'm puzzled by some of the conversation around it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Brittani BurnhamOctober 17, 2023 at 3:15 PM

      I agree that a lot is being projected onto it. I thought about that for myself. I wondered if I was frustrated because I saw some of myself in Emily and got annoyed when she flew off the handle. Was I more critical of her because I related, and less critical of Luke because I expected him to be weak? It's a lot to unpack.

      Delete
  2. thevoid99October 21, 2023 at 8:48 PM

    I still want to see this though my mother and I still can't watch Netflix on our TVs for some reason though I think it has to do with issues relating to my sister's own financial issues as I am aware that Netflix is going to raise their prices. Ugh.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Brittani BurnhamOctober 23, 2023 at 7:56 AM

      If you have a Samsung TV - My Netflix has been wigging out on that thing for the past couple of months. It eventually lets us watch, but it takes a lot of closing and re-opening.

      Delete
    2. thevoid99October 23, 2023 at 6:56 PM

      I have 2 Fire Smart TVs and the newest one that my mom has is a Samsung. It has to do with certain things as I think it involves the password sharing shit.

      Delete
    3. Brittani BurnhamOctober 24, 2023 at 9:19 AM

      Ahh I see. I wish I knew what my TV's problem is because the app is updated and NO other device does it. I think it just doesn't like Netflix anymore lol

      Delete

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