Netflix’s ‘Fair Play’ has become the talk of the town since it’s released.
This movie captures the dynamics and competitive behavior found in many heterosexual relationships today. Fair Play is about a couple whose colleagues as well, crumble when the female partner gets promoted instead of her boyfriend. Built on quite a unique storyline, the movie is a razor-edged thriller.
The story seems simple in the start but it’s more than that. Luke, played by Alden Ehrenreich and Emily, played by Phoebe Dynevor are close colleagues and covert lovers at a New York Wall Street hedge fund, where everyone is buzzed on entitlement and top-grade espresso.
Just after the day Luke proposes to Emily, a rumour starts circulating at the office that Luke might get promoted to PM. However, the disaster comes when Emily gets the promotion and a fat raise instead of Luke.
In this needle-sharp war of the sexes, what follows is an exploration of heteronormativity and the pitfalls women face not only in having to minimize their earned successes within their intimate relationships but also have their competency and advancement smeared at work.
With Luke’s ego challenged, he falls into seething rage and resentment, ultimately attempting to sabotage their ill-fated engagement and Emily’s career.
Topical tropes explored are equal opportunity, sexism, gender norms, workplace power imbalances, and the subtle complexity of intimate partner violence.
If you sum up the movie, it is filled with notably excellent performances all around, especially by the leading actors and Eddie Marsan who played Campbell.
Fair Play is a very well-put-together movie. It is about the complex dynamics between people in relationships working in different hierarchies. It is so brilliantly directed that it constantly keeps you hooked to find out what happens next.
