A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this movie.
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Positive Messages
very little
Movie is mainly about a violently deteriorating relationship, but it's also partially a cautionary tale about toxic work environments and how cutthroat, sexist behavior can bleed into all other aspects of life. Shows how running a company through ruthlessness and fear is ultimately poisonous, even if the very wealthy and powerful rarely face consequences.
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Positive Role Models
none
No positive role models. Campbell is a hero to Luke, but he's nothing more than a hateful, ruthless man who's out to grab as much money as possible. As for Luke and Emily, the one who eventually becomes the nastiest is the one who "wins" in the end.
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Diverse Representations
very little
Written and directed by a woman, with a powerful woman in what's arguably the lead role (Luke is treated more or less equally, but the movie is more from Emily's point of view). But it's set in the world of finance and hedge funds, which means lots of White men. And the relationship of the main characters, who are a couple, is undermined when she's promoted over him and he doesn't do well with her success. One character of color in small role: Arjun (who's played by Iranian actor Sia Alipour).
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Violence & Scariness
a lot
Graphic, extended rape scene; it begins as consensual sex, but the man gets violent and smashes the woman's head on a bathroom sink -- she tells him it hurts and asks him to stop, but he keeps going until he finishes. She covers one bruise with makeup and shows several bruises from the assault. Woman hits man on side of head with beer bottle. Character's hand is sliced with knife; character is stabbed in shoulder, blood dribbling on floor. Man shoves woman against wall. Several scenes of violent arguing and shouting. Blood splotches on clothing. Characters throw tantrums, throwing stuff, smashing stuff.
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Sex, Romance & Nudity
a lot
Topless woman seen briefly. Passionate kissing. Passionate moaning. Man moves between woman's legs for suggested oral sex and emerges with period blood on lips. One character tries to seduce another -- kissing, groping in his pants, etc. He also touches himself under his clothing. Scene in strip club: Scantily clad women perform exotic dances and give a lap dance. Couple showers together. Dialogue about getting a towel for sex while woman is on period. Crude spoken story about college student accidentally having sex with sister. Very strong sex-related dialogue throughout ("eat my p---y," "sit on your face," "used a Doritos bag for a condom," etc.).
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See AlsoHow free movie links could infect your device with malwareReview: Fair Play'Fair Play' Director Chloe Domont on Making 'Post-#MeToo' Thriller Personal: 'I Write My Fears' (Exclusive)Fair Play Cast & Character GuideGet started
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Language
a lot
Countless uses of "f--k," plus "motherf----r," "s--t," "p---y," "c--k," "a--hole," "ass," "dumb f---ing bitch," "d--k," "damn," "idiot," "moron," "piss." Exclamatory use of "Jesus Christ," "Christ," "Jesus," "oh my God."
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Products & Purchases
very little
Reference to Doritos. Character orders "Maker's" in a bar (i.e., Maker's Mark bourbon).
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Drinking, Drugs & Smoking
some
Heavy drinking in a strip club: shots, bottle of unknown pills, character comes home stumbling drunk. Character gulps liquor from bottle. Characters go to work hung over. Nearly empty bottle of liquor on floor. Frequent social drinking, usually hard liquor, vodka, whiskey, etc. Couple celebrates with champagne. Main character smokes cigarettes in several scenes. Reference to "buying molly."
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Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Fair Play is a graphic, violent erotic thriller/drama about a couple (Phoebe Dynevor and Alden Ehrenreich) whose jobs at a toxic hedge fund begin to violently rip apart their relationship. It's brutal and hard to watch, but it's also very smart, with well-drawn, organic characters. There's a long, brutal rape scene, and characters are also stabbed and sliced, hit in the head with a beer bottle, shoved against the wall. A woman has bruises all over her body, and there's dribbling blood, raging, arguing, and more. There's a brief glimpse of bare breasts, passionate kissing and moaning, a scene set in a strip club, and extremely explicit sex-related dialogue. Foul language includes nonstop use of "f--k," plus uses of "s--t," "p---y," and "a--hole" and exclamations of "Christ," "Jesus," and more. Characters drink socially throughout (sometimes to excess), there are brief drug references, and a character smokes cigarettes. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
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- Parents say (1)
- Kids say (1)
age 18+
Based on 1 parent review
wanthonygerard Parent of 18+-year-old
October 6, 2023
age 18+
Un-fair Play ( with sex and violence)
In an amateurish and voyeristic way, this movie has similarities to the far better directed The Assistant. It is marketed as an erotic thriller, but I think there is little that is thrilling or very erotic about it. Was the Piano teacher an erotic film? Sexual yes, but not fun or romantic. This movie has the same tone, but clearly feels like a Hollywood rendition. In many ways, it just crude and gross. If you want to watch something sexy, watch Body Heat or even Basic Instinct. At least choose In the Cut, which is intentionally unsavory. ( I’m not recommending any of these films. Do sexy or erotic movies help the viewer learn anything, or improve our humanity in any way? Or are they just hedonistic?) The story is about misogyny in a highly competitive, male-dominated Wall Street firm. The two main characters share a lustful love, and there are some explicit ( although not p*rnographic) sex scenes. Some of them are very passionate, but the tone of the movie is dark.The movie opens with Emily and Luke at a party where they have lustful sex in the bathroom. But she has her period, and they end up with blood on their fancy clothes. The movie combines sex, danger, and tension but has little in the way of merit. It’s just a steamy, intense drama, that ends with both characters splatters in blood, just like it began. But not menstrual blood. This time they are bleeding from the finality of their rage. It is interesting to see these two much loved characters playing in such a tense drama. Luke is played by Alden Ehrenreich ( known for Solo: A Star Wars Story ) and Emily is played by Phoebe Dynevor from Bridgerton. She is beautiful, except when she is in “ flight or fight” mode. But both actors are given shallow characters to play, and we never really get to know them, which may be a blessing since there is so much trauma inflicted by each of them. I did like the fact that the film wrestles with what a healthy work-life balance looks like for a DINK couple on Wall Street, but this is a a difficult to watch psychological duel, not an erotic thriller. There is a rape scene in this movie that is intentionally controversial since it starts with angry sex. Luke and Emily are ending their relationship, and their argument suddenly turns into passionate, forceful sex. Emily is clearly into this as much as Luke, but Luke ignores her, and asserts dominance over her even though she is telling him to stop. Emily gets the last act of vengeance however, and this shows the depravity that both genders are capable of. Rather than being just a victim of Luke’s misogyny, the viewer is left wondering if Emily is guilty of misandry. Emily confronts Luke about what he did to her during their “ angry sex/ rape scene” and when Luke protests that they both “both got carried away”, she picks up a kitchen knife cuts him with it, getting blood on both of them ( obvious parallel to the first scene of sex and menstrual blood) She then forces him into humiliation, while he is pleading for forgiveness. I can’t recommend anything about this violent psychological thriller that begins and ends bloodshed, other than the fact that it shows the depths of human depravity when our egos are threatened. No one is sure if this saying originally derives from Jesus or Buddha’s teaching ( maybe both), but it certainly applies to this film and to all of us: “Holding onto anger is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.”
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What's the Story?
In FAIR PLAY, Emily (Phoebe Dynevor) and Luke (Alden Ehrenreich) are passionately in love and newly engaged. But they must keep their relationship a secret at One Crest Capital, the brutal hedge fund where they both work. Emily hears a rumor that Luke might be getting promoted to Portfolio Manager and tells him -- but then she gets the job. Luke seems to take the news well, but soon tiny resentments start to creep in. He convinces Emily to make an investment that results in a massive loss, and she recoups the money with a decision of her own. Their love life begins to suffer, and they argue more and more. Finally, Luke gets down on his knees and begs the manager, Campbell (Eddie Marsan), for a chance at a promotion. This fateful decision causes everything to spiral more and more out of control.
Is It Any Good?
Our review:
Parents say (1):
Kids say (1):
Avoiding the restrictions of a standard erotic thriller, this brutal drama expertly and equally explores the explosive passions of its two characters in a truthful, vivid, and unflinching way. Writer-director Chloe Domont, who's worked primarily in television, kicks off her feature film debut with a jaw-dropping opening that involves an attempt at intimacy in a restroom, blood, and a wedding ring. It's both a portrait of a relationship at its most passionate and an establishment of the movie's subsequent tone. Fair Play continues in a squirm-inducing way as the characters' relationship begins to curdle, bit by bit, with a sickening logic.
Passion turns from sensuousness to rage, and the characters lash out at each other in the same unthinking, animalistic ways with which they once embraced each other. But even if they aren't thinking, their behavior always seems to come from a logical, emotional place. We believe their feelings, and their actions follow. Moreover, both characters are equally fatally flawed. Domont also uses the hedge fund world to brilliant effect, playing up the toxic, callous atmosphere in which one co-worker will turn on another co-worker on a dime, with no remorse. (Her script's complex financial-speak dialogue sounds authentic -- and alien -- and serves to further unsettle.) To be sure, Fair Play isn't an easy watch, but it's a fascinating portrait of souls becoming corrupted, almost without warning.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Fair Play's violence. How much is actually shown? What's the impact of the violence that's not shown? Is that thrilling or shocking?
How is sex depicted? What values are imparted?
How are drinking and smoking shown? Are they glamorized? Are there consequences? Why does that matter?
Can Emily and Luke's relationship problems be blamed entirely on their toxic work environment? Do they have good communication skills?
Why is the lure of money strong enough to entice the characters to work in such an awful environment? Would you choose to work at a hedge fund like this one? Why, or why not?
Movie Details
- In theaters: September 29, 2023
- On DVD or streaming: October 6, 2023
- Cast: Phoebe Dynevor, Alden Ehrenreich, Eddie Marsan
- Director: Chloe Domont
- Inclusion Information: Female directors, Female actors, Female writers
- Studio: Netflix
- Genre: Thriller
- Run time: 113 minutes
- MPAA rating: R
- MPAA explanation: pervasive language, sexual content, some nudity, and sexual violence
- Last updated: September 27, 2023
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Fair Play
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