2023 Sundance Film Festival: Fair Play movie review

My coverage of the 2023 Sundance Film Festival continues with me reviewing the thriller Fair Play. The movie is the feature film written/directorial debut by Chloe Domont. Is the film worth checking out when it releases? I share my review and let you know.

Fair Play follows the story of a couple who sees their relationship fall apart after receiving the promotion that the other was trying to get. The film was written/directed by Chloe Domont and stars Phoebe Dynevor and Alden Ehrenreich.

Fair Play is a powerfully written thriller

The movie opens up with us meeting Emily and Luke at a party where the couple can’t resist the urge to be with each other and take it to the bathroom. A series of unfortunate events transpire, leading to a ring falling out of Luke’s pants, causing an already crazy sequence to become crazier.

The following day, we see Emily and Luke go to work, and their relationship is much different. It’s a volatile, cutthroat hedge fund where things get ugly when we see one worker start to smash his computer and more for losing his job. The possibility opens up for a promotion, and Luke believes he is locked for it. However, after meeting with the big wig, Emily finds out it is her that will be taking over.

While putting on a happy face, Emily starts to realize that this isn’t exactly “fine” with Luke. First, it was a slide remark about her making more money. Then, it’s his reluctance to tell his parents about their marriage and her persistence in telling him that she will help him get the next job. But regardless of his resistance, she is determined to help him but quickly realizes that he has faltered in the past and her bosses don’t love him.

One of the things I loved about Fair Play was the tense-filled world-building brought to you by writer Chloe Domont. How she crafts this relationship that is flipped upside down on its head when Emily gets this promotion, causing things to get intense and leaving you on the edge of your seat about what is going to happen next. Domont is a voice that needs to be on people’s radars because this is just the start for her.

Within Domont’s writing (which might be one of my favorites of the festival), you see this brilliant performance from Phoebe Dynevor. How we see Emily shift from this somewhat reserved woman to a prominent person in the company that ends up having to deal with a jealous boyfriend that goes over the edge is something that wasn’t easy to do, but my goodness, does she deliver.

Overall, Fair Play is a powerfully written thriller which is precisely what I love about this genre. If you like movies (or even shows like Billions) that play off as one big chess match, this is the movie for you. I loved every minute of it and can’t wait to watch it again.