Fair Play is an erotic thriller that follows Luke and Emily, a newly-engaged couple (played by Cocaine Bear's Alden Ehrenreich and Bridgerton star, Phoebe Dynevor) whose power dynamic suddenly shifts after one of them receives a highly-prized promotion.
Written and directed by Chloe Domont (in her directorial debut), the film transports us to a fast-paced hedge fund office where both of our leads are based. Pitched as a film that 'unravels the uncomfortable collision of empowerment and ego', Fair Play looks set to be a twisty, tense thriller that you won't want to miss.
Here's what you need to know about Fair Play.
Fair Play release date
Fair Play is getting a limited theatrical release in select cinemas in September (in the US) and on October 6 in the UK, before landing on Netflix on Friday, October 13.
The film premiered at Sundance Film Festival in January 2023 and wound up being one of the festival's most talked-about films at the time, so it's certainly one to add to your radar.
For more info about the new releases coming your way for the rest of the year, check out our guide to the biggest new movies coming our way in 2023.
Fair Play plot
Netflix's synopsis for Fair Play reads: "When a coveted promotion at a cutthroat financial firm arises, once supportive exchanges between lovers Emily (Phoebe Dynevor) and Luke (Alden Ehrenreich) begin to sour into something more sinister.
"As the power dynamics irrevocably shift in their relationship, the couple must face the true price of success and the unnerving limits of ambition.
"In her feature debut, writer-director Chloe Domont weaves a taut relationship thriller, staring down the destructive gender dynamics that pit partners against each other in a world that is transforming faster than the rules can keep up. Also starring Eddie Marsan, Rich Sommer, and Sebastian De Souza, Fair Play unravels the uncomfortable collision of empowerment and ego."
Talking about her inspiration for the film with Vanity Fair, Chloe Domont revealed that the film has been borne out of her earlier years in the film industry, including a similarly rocky relationship. "Why is it that even today, with all the progress that we've made, a man's success is a win for the relationship, but when it's the other way around, it feels like a threat? It felt like something that so many of us experience but are afraid to talk about and to confront."
Who's in the Fair Play cast?
As we mentioned, Fair Play stars Alden Ehrenreich (Cocaine Bear, Solo) and Phoebe Dynevor (Bridgerton, Bank of Dave) as the warring couple, Luke and Emily.
Talking about her first reaction to the film's screenplay with Queue, Dynevor said: "I think my initial reaction, honestly, was just silence. It spoke to me in a way that no script really ever has."
Ehrenreich added: "When I first read the script, I was really struck by how personal it felt. You can kind of feel when a writer is writing something that is born out of their actual experience."
In addition, the film also features Eddie Marsan, Rich Sommer, and Sebastian De Souza.
Is there a trailer?
Yes, after beginning with a steamy scene where the pair celebrate their new engagement, things grow tense pretty quickly.
Emily is offered her promotion over an after-work drink, and she returns home to share the news that puts the couple at odds. Check it out below:
